Algernon: Host header path traversal in --domain mode reads files and runs Lua from parent dir
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub.
Summary
Algernon is a small self-contained pure-Go web server. Prior to 1.17.8, when algernon is started with --domain (or --letsencrypt, which silently turns on --domain at engine/flags.go:372), the request handler resolves the served directory by joining the configured --dir with the value of the client-supplied Host header. The join is performed by filepath.Join with no validation, so a Host: .. header walks one level above the document root. Subsequent file resolution then exposes everything in that parent directory — arbitrary file read, full directory listing, and, if any .lua file is present, server-side Lua execution. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.17.8.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- 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
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xyproto | algernon | before 1.17.8 | 1.17.8 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/xyproto/algernon (Go) | before 1.17.8 | 1.17.8 | Patch available | GHSA-jc3j-x6pg-4hmv |
- algernon Vendorxyproto Affected before 1.17.8 Fixed in 1.17.8 Patch available CNA
- github.com/xyproto/algernon (Go) Vendor— Affected before 1.17.8 Fixed in 1.17.8 Patch available GHSA-jc3j-x6pg-4hmv
Remediation
- Fix · CNA algernon (xyproto) Fixed in 1.17.8
- Fix · GHSA-jc3j-x6pg-4hmv github.com/xyproto/algernon (Go) Fixed in 1.17.8 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-48126
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jc3j-x6pg-4hmv
References
More xyproto vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-37902 Algernon: Server-side script source disclosure on Windows via NTFS filename CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-33460 Algernon: handler.lua discovery walks parent directories above the server root CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.0
- TI-2026-33466 Algernon: Single-file mode unconditionally enables debug mode CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-34142 Algernon: Auto-refresh SSE event server sets Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2026-34141 Algernon: Auto-refresh SSE event server binds to all interfaces by default on Linux/macOS CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.3
- TI-2026-32026 Algernon: Path traversal file write via savein() CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
Sources
- CVE-2026-48126 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-48126 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jc3j-x6pg-4hmv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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