CVE-2026-105834 in Rundeck
Summary
by MITRE • 10/06/2026
Rundeck before 6.2.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows users holding only the project configure ACL to read arbitrary server files by setting resources.source.N.config.file to any absolute path. Attackers can retrieve file contents through editProjectNodeSourceFile or the apiSourceGetContent endpoint to obtain database passwords, LDAP bind credentials, and other projects' data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2026
The vulnerability identified in versions of Rundeck prior to 6.2.0 represents a critical security flaw rooted in improper input validation regarding file path handling within the application's project configuration subsystem. Specifically, this is a Path Traversal vulnerability that allows an attacker with relatively low-privilege access to escalate their capabilities significantly by reading arbitrary files from the underlying server operating system. The core technical issue lies in how the application processes the resources.source.N.config.file parameter during project setup or modification. When a user interacts with endpoints such as editProjectNodeSourceFile or apiSourceGetContent, the backend logic fails to adequately sanitize or validate the provided file path against a whitelist of allowed directories. This lack of restriction permits the injection of absolute paths that point outside the intended application scope, effectively bypassing standard access controls designed to isolate project data from sensitive system resources.
From an operational perspective, this flaw has severe implications for organizational security posture because it enables unauthorized disclosure of highly sensitive configuration files and credentials stored on the server. An attacker possessing only the configure ACL permission for a specific project can leverage this vulnerability to read critical infrastructure components such as database connection strings containing plaintext passwords, LDAP bind credentials used for directory authentication, or internal API keys associated with other projects within the same Rundeck instance. The ability to retrieve these artifacts facilitates further attacks including lateral movement across network segments, privilege escalation by extracting administrative tokens, and potential compromise of downstream systems that rely on the stolen credentials. This scenario is particularly dangerous in environments where Rundeck serves as a central automation hub for multiple critical business processes, as the exposure of one set of credentials can cascade into broader system-wide breaches.
In terms of industry-standard classification frameworks, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, which describes flaws where software does not properly neutralize special elements within file paths that could resolve to files or directories outside of the intended restricted location. Furthermore, from an adversary tactics perspective as defined by MITRE ATT&CK, this exploit maps directly to T1530: Data from Local System and potentially T1078: Valid Accounts if the attacker uses legitimate but insufficiently privileged credentials to trigger the flaw. The attack vector is primarily remote via API interactions or web interface modifications, requiring only authenticated access with specific project-level permissions rather than full administrative rights, which lowers the barrier for exploitation significantly compared to vulnerabilities that require root or admin privileges.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running Rundeck versions earlier than 6.2.0 must prioritize immediate patching and upgrading to a version where this path traversal logic has been corrected with strict input validation and directory confinement checks. Until an upgrade is feasible, administrators should implement network-level controls such as firewall rules or reverse proxy configurations that restrict access to the affected API endpoints like apiSourceGetContent and editProjectNodeSourceFile to only those IP addresses absolutely necessary for operations. Additionally, enforcing Principle of Least Privilege by auditing ACLs ensures that users do not hold project configure permissions unless strictly required, thereby reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. Regular security audits focusing on file access patterns within automation platforms can also help detect anomalous behavior indicative of such exploitation attempts before significant data loss occurs.