Which versions of Ray are affected by CVE-2026-32981?

Ray distributed-computing framework versions prior to 2.8.1 contain a path-traversal vulnerability in the Dashboard service that allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files, including source…. A patch is available.

Is there a public PoC exploit available for CVE-2026-32981?

Yes, a public proof-of-concept exploit is available for CVE-2026-32981. Prioritise patching immediately. EPSS: 0.1%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2026-32981?

Within 24 hours: identify all Ray deployments and verify which expose the Dashboard service (TCP port 8265) to untrusted networks. Within 7 days: upgrade all Ray instances to version 2.8.1 or later; immediately restrict network access to port 8265 if upgrade cannot be completed. Within 30 days: review authentication logs for evidence of exploitation; rotate any credentials that may have been exposed.

Ray CVE-2026-32981

Q: What is the CVSS score of CVE-2026-32981?

CVE-2026-32981 has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.7 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.1%.

EUVD-2026-12635 HIGH

Path Traversal (CWE-22)

2026-03-17 VulnCheck

GHSA-j3mh-qmjj-xp83

Path Traversal Ray

8.7

CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck

Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY

8.7 HIGH

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

vuln.today AI

7.5 HIGH

Network-reachable dashboard needs no auth or interaction (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N); read-only file disclosure gives C:H with no integrity/availability impact and no scope change.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Red Hat

7.5 HIGH

qualitative

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

None

Scope

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Updated

Jun 30, 2026 - 04:50 vuln.today

v5 (cvss_changed)

Analysis Updated

Jun 30, 2026 - 04:49 vuln.today

v4 (cvss_changed)

Analysis Updated

Jun 30, 2026 - 04:48 vuln.today

v3 (cvss_changed)

Analysis Updated

Jun 30, 2026 - 04:48 vuln.today

v2 (cvss_changed)

Re-analysis Queued

Jun 30, 2026 - 03:24 vuln.today

cvss_changed

CVSS changed

Jun 30, 2026 - 03:24 NVD

7.5 (HIGH) 8.7 (HIGH)

Analysis Updated

Apr 16, 2026 - 06:21 EUVD-patch-fix

executive_summary

Re-analysis Queued

Apr 16, 2026 - 05:29 backfill_euvd_patch

patch_released

Patch available

Apr 16, 2026 - 05:29 EUVD

2.8.1

PoC Detected

Mar 18, 2026 - 14:52 vuln.today

Public exploit code

EUVD ID Assigned

Mar 17, 2026 - 20:30 euvd

EUVD-2026-12635

Analysis Generated

Mar 17, 2026 - 20:30 vuln.today

CVE Published

Mar 17, 2026 - 19:33 nvd

HIGH 7.5

DescriptionCVE.org

A path traversal vulnerability was identified in Ray Dashboard (default port 8265) in Ray versions prior to 2.8.1. Due to improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied paths in the static file handling mechanism, an attacker can use traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to access files outside the intended static directory, resulting in local file disclosure.

AnalysisAI

Local file disclosure in the Ray Dashboard (default TCP port 8265) of the Ray distributed-computing framework affects all releases prior to 2.8.1, where the static file handler fails to sanitize user-supplied paths. Remote attackers can submit directory-traversal sequences to read arbitrary files outside the intended static directory, exposing source code, configuration, and credentials. Publicly available exploit code exists (reported by VulnCheck), though EPSS estimates exploitation probability at only 0.07% (20th percentile) and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV.

Technical ContextAI

Ray is an open-source framework for scaling Python and AI/ML workloads across clusters; its Dashboard is a web service (default port 8265) that serves bundled static assets alongside live cluster telemetry. The flaw is a classic CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'): the static-file route concatenates attacker-controlled path segments without canonicalizing or constraining them to the asset root, so sequences such as '../' resolve to locations elsewhere on the host filesystem. The affected component is identified by CPE cpe:2.3:a:ray-project:ray:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* for all versions below 2.8.1. Because the handler only reads and returns file contents, the impact is confidentiality-only disclosure rather than write or code execution.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: upgrade Ray to 2.8.1 or later, which is the first release containing the fix (all versions below 2.8.1 are vulnerable). On Red Hat-based systems, apply the corresponding errata (RHSA-2026:5809, RHSA-2026:6761, RHSA-2026:6762, RHSA-2026:19712, or RHSA-2026:24977 as applicable to your channel). Where immediate patching is not possible, the most effective compensating control is to remove network exposure of the Dashboard: bind port 8265 to localhost or a trusted management interface and place it behind a reverse proxy that enforces authentication and normalizes/rejects path-traversal sequences, accepting the trade-off that operators lose direct browser access to the dashboard. Restrict ingress to port 8265 with host or network firewall rules to known administrative sources, and avoid exposing the Ray cluster or dashboard directly to the internet; note these network controls do not fix the underlying flaw and must be lifted only after upgrading. Refer to the VulnCheck advisory (https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/ray-dashboard-path-traversal-leading-to-local-file-disclosure) and NVD entry (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32981) for authoritative details.