Vulnerability-Lookup

CVE-2026-118485 (GCVE-0-2026-118485)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2026-10-28 11:26 – Updated: 2026-10-28 11:26

Title

Axel Download Accelerator Path Traversal via URL Filename Decoding

Summary

Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory.

Severity

7 (High)


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

8.1 (High)


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

CWE

CWE-24 - Path traversal: '../filedir'

Assigner

OCD CNA under the ENISA root

CNA scorecard – unranked: 2 records in the last 180 days, 10 needed details

References

4 references

URL	Tags
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel…	issue-tracking
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel…	patch
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel…	vendor-advisory
https://advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisor…	third-party-advisory

Impacted products

1 product

Vendor	Product	Version	CPE status
Axel Download Accelerator	Axel	Affected: 0 , ≤ 2.17.14 (git) cpe:2.3:a:axel_download_accelerator:axel::::::::

Date Public

2026-10-28 11:25

Credits

Guillaume Meunier from Orange Cyberdefense CERT VOC Team

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
          "product": "Axel",
          "repo": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/",
          "vendor": "Axel Download Accelerator",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThanOrEqual": "2.17.14",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "0",
              "versionType": "git"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:axel_download_accelerator:axel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndIncluding": "2.17.14",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "0",
                  "vulnerable": true
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      "credits": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "type": "finder",
          "value": "Guillaume Meunier from Orange Cyberdefense CERT VOC Team"
        }
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      "datePublic": "2026-10-28T11:25:00.000Z",
      "descriptions": [
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          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory."
            }
          ],
          "value": "Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory."
        }
      ],
      "impacts": [
        {
          "capecId": "CAPEC-126",
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "CAPEC-126 Path Traversal"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV4_0": {
            "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackRequirements": "NONE",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "baseScore": 7,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
            "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
            "userInteraction": "ACTIVE",
            "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N",
            "version": "4.0",
            "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "attackComplexity": "LOW",
            "attackVector": "NETWORK",
            "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
            "baseScore": 8.1,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
            "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
            "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
            "scope": "UNCHANGED",
            "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
            {
              "lang": "en",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "cweId": "CWE-24",
              "description": "CWE-24 Path traversal: \u0027../filedir\u0027",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "CWE"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-10-28T11:26:59.053Z",
        "orgId": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
        "shortName": "OCD"
      },
      "references": [
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          "tags": [
            "issue-tracking"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/issues/477"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "patch"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/pull/483/changes/4e76e1a1dd1c4ea11b445e2c45e4ee257c76314e"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "vendor-advisory"
          ],
          "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/milestone/22"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "third-party-advisory"
          ],
          "url": "https://advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisories/167"
        }
      ],
      "solutions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "supportingMedia": [
            {
              "base64": false,
              "type": "text/html",
              "value": "Apply patch provided by Axel. Will be fixed in 2.17.16 as well"
            }
          ],
          "value": "Apply patch provided by Axel. Will be fixed in 2.17.16 as well"
        }
      ],
      "source": {
        "discovery": "EXTERNAL"
      },
      "timeline": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-02-27T23:00:00.000Z",
          "value": "Vulnerability found"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-03-03T16:01:00.000Z",
          "value": "Vulnerability disclosed to Axel"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-07-22T06:52:00.000Z",
          "value": "Patch released"
        },
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "time": "2026-10-28T11:25:00.000Z",
          "value": "Vulnerability disclosed"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Axel Download Accelerator Path Traversal via URL Filename Decoding",
      "x_generator": {
        "engine": "Vulnogram 1.0.5"
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
    "assignerShortName": "OCD",
    "cveId": "CVE-2026-118485",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-28T11:26:59.053Z",
    "dateReserved": "2026-10-28T11:13:12.954Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-10-28T11:26:59.053Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2026-118485",
      "date": "2026-10-29",
      "epss": "0.0056",
      "percentile": "0.4653"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "affected": [
          {
            "affectedData": [
              {
                "defaultStatus": "unaffected",
                "product": "Axel",
                "repo": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/",
                "vendor": "Axel Download Accelerator",
                "versions": [
                  {
                    "lessThanOrEqual": "2.17.14",
                    "status": "affected",
                    "version": "0",
                    "versionType": "git"
                  }
                ]
              }
            ],
            "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd"
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2026-118485",
        "lastModified": "2026-10-28T15:24:56.033",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV31": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackVector": "NETWORK",
                "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
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                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityImpact": "NONE",
                "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
                "scope": "UNCHANGED",
                "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
                "version": "3.1"
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              "impactScore": 5.2,
              "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ],
          "cvssMetricV40": [
            {
              "cvssData": {
                "Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "attackComplexity": "LOW",
                "attackRequirements": "NONE",
                "attackVector": "NETWORK",
                "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "baseScore": 7.0,
                "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
                "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "exploitMaturity": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
                "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE",
                "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
                "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE",
                "userInteraction": "ACTIVE",
                "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED",
                "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/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",
                "version": "4.0",
                "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH",
                "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "NONE",
                "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH",
                "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"
              },
              "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
              "type": "Secondary"
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2026-10-28T12:17:40.370",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
            "url": "https://advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisories/167"
          },
          {
            "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
            "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/issues/477"
          },
          {
            "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
            "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/milestone/22"
          },
          {
            "source": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
            "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/pull/483/changes/4e76e1a1dd1c4ea11b445e2c45e4ee257c76314e"
          }
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        "sourceIdentifier": "6064c9f1-42e5-4cc5-a67a-1636d7a9d3fd",
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            "type": "Secondary"
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        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

GHSA-GWW9-3RX9-535X

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-10-28 12:31 – Updated: 2026-10-28 12:31

Details

Severity

8.1 (High)


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

7.0 (High)


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

Show details on source website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2026-118485"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-24"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": false,
    "github_reviewed_at": null,
    "nvd_published_at": "2026-10-28T12:17:40Z",
    "severity": "HIGH"
  },
  "details": "Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory.",
  "id": "GHSA-gww9-3rx9-535x",
  "modified": "2026-10-28T12:31:09Z",
  "published": "2026-10-28T12:31:08Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-118485"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/issues/477"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/pull/483/changes/4e76e1a1dd1c4ea11b445e2c45e4ee257c76314e"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisories/167"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/milestone/22"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    },
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/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",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ]
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Vulnerability timeline

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The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.

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