Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain reader-role credentials
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DeliveryIdentify or confirm symlink in data/assets/
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ExploitCraft asset-read API request targeting symlink
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ExecutionServer follows symlink outside workspace
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PersistReceive target file bytes
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ImpactExfiltrate sensitive data
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Symlink resolution safety
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires: (1) a valid reader-role account in a multi-user SiYuan deployment - PR:L per CVSS 4.0 confirms authentication is required; (2) a symlink to exist under data/assets/ that resolves to a file outside the workspace - this symlink must either be pre-existing or created via a mechanism available to higher-privileged users (admin, editor); (3) network access to the SiYuan HTTP API endpoint. What limits exploitation: reader-role credentials must be obtained; the target symlink must already exist or be createable in the assets directory; single-user local deployments have essentially no exposure since the local user already has filesystem access. The attack is not exploitable against default single-user SiYuan instances and is most meaningful in team/shared server deployments with untrusted reader accounts. |
| Impact | The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N) scores 7.1 and accurately captures the threat model: network-accessible, low-complexity exploitation requiring only a reader-role credential, with high confidentiality impact against the vulnerable system and no integrity or availability consequence. A key exploitation prerequisite not fully surfaced by CVSS is the requirement for a symlink to pre-exist (or be creatable) under data/assets/ - the description implies the reader-role attacker requests an existing symlink rather than creates one, which constrains the attack surface somewhat. SiYuan is a self-hosted application typically run by individuals or small teams; multi-user deployments where untrusted parties hold reader accounts and where an admin or higher-privilege user might have introduced symlinks represent the realistic threat scenario. No EPSS data was provided, no KEV listing exists, and no POC has been published, suggesting limited immediate widespread exploitation risk. Real-world impact depends heavily on what sensitive files are accessible from the server filesystem and whether an exploitable symlink exists or can be planted. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who holds a reader-role account in a multi-user SiYuan deployment (or has obtained such credentials) identifies a symlink under data/assets/ that points to a sensitive file outside the workspace, such as the application's database, SSH private key, or /etc/passwd. The attacker sends a crafted GET request to the asset-read API referencing that symlink path; the server follows the symlink and returns the target file content directly to the attacker. No POC code has been published, but the technique is straightforward for any attacker familiar with symlink traversal in web application file-serving. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 04, 2026
Path traversal via symlink following in SiYuan's reader-accessible file-read API allows authenticated low-privilege users to escape the workspace boundary and read arbitrary server-side files. Versions before v3.8.2 fail to resolve symlink targets before serving asset content, meaning a reader-role account can request a data/assets/ path that is a symlink pointing outside the workspace and receive the target file bytes. The impact is strictly confidentiality - no integrity or availability consequences - but sensitive server-side files (credentials, SSH keys, configuration) could be exfiltrated. No public exploit code or CISA KEV listing exists at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
Upgrade SiYuan to v3.8.2 or later, which resolves the symlink before serving the file and validates that the canonical path remains within the workspace boundary. The advisory is at https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan/security/advisories/GHSA-g7gf-v79m-jwrm. If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict reader-role access exclusively to trusted users, as the vulnerability requires an authenticated reader account. Additionally, audit the data/assets/ directory for unexpected symlinks pointing outside the workspace root and remove them. Running the SiYuan process under an OS user with a restrictive file-system namespace (e.g., Linux namespaces or chroot) can limit the blast radius by constraining which files are reachable even through followed symlinks, at the cost of additional operational complexity.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
SiYuan (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:siyuan-note:siyuan:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) is a self-hosted, privacy-first note-taking application with a built-in HTTP API. It exposes a file-read endpoint for assets stored under the data/assets/ workspace directory, accessible to users with reader role. The root cause is CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access - 'Link Following'): the server resolves the requested asset path and opens the file without first checking whether the fully-resolved path (after symlink expansion) remains within the authorized workspace root. If a filesystem symlink exists under data/assets/ pointing to a file outside the workspace (e.g., /etc/shadow, SSH private keys, workspace database files), the OS transparently follows the symlink and the server returns the target content. This is a classic symlink-following vulnerability in a web application's file-serving layer.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Network-accessible API requires only reader-role credentials (PR:L); confidentiality-only impact with no integrity or availability consequence.
Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
SiYuan versions before v3.8.2 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the reader-accessible file-read endpoint that follows symlinks when opening authorized asset paths. Attackers with reader role can request a logical asset under data/assets/ that is a symlink to a file outside the workspace and receive the target file bytes, bypassing workspace boundary restrictions.
Technical POC Analysis
Bug class: path traversal via symlink following.
Full technical POC analysis - root cause, step-by-step exploitation and patch breakdown - is part of the Pro and Business plans.
Executive ViewAI
SiYuan knowledge management platforms running versions before v3.8.2 contain a path traversal vulnerability allowing authenticated reader-level users to access sensitive files outside their workspace, including credentials and SSH keys. Organizations should prioritize assessment of exposed sensitive data and prepare for immediate patching once available, as leaked credentials could facilitate unauthorized access and lateral movement within infrastructure.
Until a patched version is available: implement network-level access restrictions on the data/assets API endpoint; move sensitive files (credentials, SSH keys, database backups) outside the SiYuan workspace directory; monitor file-read API access patterns for anomalies; disable symlinks in the data/assets directory if possible; implement network segmentation to limit potential damage if credentials are compromised.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.
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EUVD-2026-71006
GHSA-g886-mc2m-v27v
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Exploit-DB