Skip to main content

Malcontent CVE-2026-24846

MEDIUM
Path Traversal (CWE-22)
2026-01-29 security-advisories@github.com GHSA-923j-vrcg-hxwh
Path Traversal Malcontent Suse Chainguard
5.5
CVSS 3.1 · GitHub Advisory
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
CWE-22
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Sign in to read
Impact

CVSS 5.5 (MEDIUM). Attack vector: Local. Complexity: Low. Privileges required: None. User interaction: Required.
Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to compromise the affected system.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 12, 2026

malcontent discovers supply-chain compromises through. context, differential analysis, and YARA. [CVSS 5.5 MEDIUM]

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available — apply it immediately. Validate and sanitize file path inputs. Use allowlists.

Affected Packages

go github.com/chainguard-dev/malcontent fix: 1.20.3

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in go

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Sign in to check
Technical ContextAI · show details

Classified as CWE-22 (Path Traversal). Affects Malcontent. malcontent discovers supply-chain compromises through. context, differential analysis, and YARA. Starting in version 1.8.0 and prior to version 1.20.3, malcontent could be made to create symlinks outside the intended extraction directory when scanning a specially crafted tar or deb archive. The handleSymlink function received arguments in the wrong order, causing the symlink target to be used as the symlink location. Additionally, symlink targets were not validated to ensure they resolved with

Know when Malcontent gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
Continue with Google Continue with GitHub

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

GitHub Advisory PRIMARY 5.5 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
SUSE MEDIUM

Primary rating from GitHub Advisory.

CVSS VectorGitHub Advisory

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch released
Feb 24, 2026 - 19:51 nvd
Patch available
CVE Published
Jan 29, 2026 - 22:15 nvd
MEDIUM 5.5

DescriptionGitHub Advisory

malcontent discovers supply-chain compromises through. context, differential analysis, and YARA. Starting in version 1.8.0 and prior to version 1.20.3, malcontent could be made to create symlinks outside the intended extraction directory when scanning a specially crafted tar or deb archive. The handleSymlink function received arguments in the wrong order, causing the symlink target to be used as the symlink location. Additionally, symlink targets were not validated to ensure they resolved within the extraction directory. Version 1.20.3 introduces fixes that swap handleSymlink arguments, validate symlink location, and validate symlink targets that resolve within an extraction directory.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Organizations using compromises should be aware of moderate risk from CVE-2026-24846, a path traversal vulnerability rated CVSS 5.5. This could allow unauthorized file access. A patch is available and should be applied during regular vulnerability management.

Business Impact: Low
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch. If patching is delayed: restrict file access via WAF, implement allowlists.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 100% exploitable
Data Quality
4 sources
Confidence: Medium
NVD CVE.org EPSS Vendor GitHub

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.0%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact
Low

Priority Score

28
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +28
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Path Traversal HIGH

Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.

Affected Products (CPE)GitHub Advisory

cpe:2.3:a:chainguard:malcontent:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More in Malcontent

View all
CVE-2026-24845 MEDIUM
6.5 Jan 29

malcontent discovers supply-chain compromises through. context, differential analysis, and YARA. [CVSS 6.5 MEDIUM]
CVE-2026-28407 MEDIUM
5.3 Feb 27

Malcontent versions before 1.21.0 fail to preserve nested archives that cannot be extracted, potentially allowing malici

Same weakness CWE-22 – Path Traversal

View all
CVE-2019-3396 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2019-19781 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2020-5902 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2021-21972 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2021-40444 HIGH POC
8.8
CVE-2022-41352 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2021-27065 HIGH POC
7.8
CVE-2019-11510 CRITICAL POC
10.0

Same technique Path Traversal

View all
CVE-2018-20250 HIGH POC
7.8
CVE-2022-37042 CRITICAL POC
9.8
CVE-2025-64446 CRITICAL POC
9.8

Vendor StatusVendor

SUSE

Severity: Medium
Product Status
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15 SP7 Fixed
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP7 Fixed
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP7 Fixed
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP7 Fixed
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 Fixed

References

Advisories & patches
PATCH https://github.com/chainguard-dev/malcontent/commit/259fca5abc004f3ab238895463ef280a87f30e96 PATCH https://github.com/chainguard-dev/malcontent/commit/a7dd8a5328ddbaf235568437813efa7591e00017 ADVISORY https://github.com/chainguard-dev/malcontent/security/advisories/GHSA-923j-vrcg-hxwh ADVISORY https://www.suse.com/support/update/SUSE-SU-2026:0403/

Search Externally

GitHub PoC Exploit-DB PacketStorm Snyk Rapid7 Nuclei Templates Trickest PoC
Back

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy