Read the docs
TI-2025-33560 Aliases CVE-2025-53633GHSA-r7fm-3pqm-ww5w

Chall-Manager's scenario decoding process does not check for zip bombs

Priority MEDIUM 44CWE-405Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.

Summary

Chall-Manager is a platform-agnostic system able to start Challenges on Demand of a player. When decoding a scenario (i.e. a zip archive), the size of the decoded content is not checked, potentially leading to zip bombs decompression. Exploitation does not require authentication nor authorization, so anyone can exploit it. It should nonetheless not be exploitable as it is highly recommended to bury Chall-Manager deep within the infrastructure due to its large capabilities, so no users could reach the system. Patch has been implemented by commit 14042aa and shipped in v0.1.4.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00527 44th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed chall-manager (ctfer-io): 0.1.4github.com/ctfer-io/chall-manager (Go): 0.1.4

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
ctfer-iochall-managerbefore 0.1.40.1.4Patch availableCNA
—github.com/ctfer-io/chall-manager (Go)before 0.1.40.1.4Patch availableGHSA-r7fm-3pqm-ww5w
  • chall-manager Vendorctfer-io Affected before 0.1.4 Fixed in 0.1.4 Patch available CNA
  • github.com/ctfer-io/chall-manager (Go) Vendor— Affected before 0.1.4 Fixed in 0.1.4 Patch available GHSA-r7fm-3pqm-ww5w

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:ctfer-io:chall-manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 0.1.4Vulnerablectfer-io
  • cpe:2.3:a:ctfer-io:chall-manager:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.1.4 Vulnerable ·ctfer-io

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA chall-manager (ctfer-io) Fixed in 0.1.4
  • Fix · GHSA-r7fm-3pqm-ww5w github.com/ctfer-io/chall-manager (Go) Fixed in 0.1.4 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-53633
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-r7fm-3pqm-ww5w

References

Patch 1

Advisory 2

Other 2

  • TI-2025-33561 Chall-Manager's HTTP Gateway have no header check timeout leading to potential slow loris attacks CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-25257 Chall-Manager's invalid NetworkPolicy enables a malicious actor to pivot into another namespace CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.9
  • TI-2025-33559 Chall-Manager's scenario decoding process does not check for zip slips CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences