CVE-2026-33922 in Arc
Summary
by MITRE • 08/11/2026
A path traversal vulnerability was discovered in the Offline archives functionality of the local web interface due to insufficient validation of an input parameter. A local user with administrative credentials for the web interface could submit an archive name containing traversal sequences and delete arbitrary files reachable by the Arc process, which runs with administrative privileges on the host.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical path traversal flaw in the offline archives functionality of a local web interface system. The weakness stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied archive names before processing them within the system's file operations. When an attacker with administrative credentials submits an archive name containing directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\, the system does not adequately validate these inputs, allowing malicious path manipulation to occur.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the Arc process which executes with elevated administrative privileges on the host system. This privilege escalation aspect significantly amplifies the severity of the flaw since the malicious user can leverage their administrative access to manipulate the underlying file system through the vulnerable web interface. The traversal sequences enable the attacker to navigate beyond the intended directory boundaries and target files that should otherwise remain protected or inaccessible.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized file access. A local administrator with malicious intent could delete arbitrary files accessible to the Arc process, potentially compromising system integrity, removing critical application components, or destroying important data repositories. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate administrative privileges while exploiting a validation gap in the archive management functionality.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and follows patterns commonly associated with directory traversal attacks documented in various security frameworks including those referenced by the ATT&CK framework under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 Phishing. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input sanitization where the system fails to properly validate user inputs before using them in file operations, creating an exploitable condition that allows for arbitrary file manipulation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation mechanisms that filter out or reject traversal sequences from all user-supplied parameters. The system should employ strict path normalization and canonicalization techniques to ensure that all file operations occur within designated safe directories. Additionally, privilege separation mechanisms should be implemented to reduce the administrative scope of the Arc process, limiting its access to only necessary system resources while maintaining proper security boundaries for archive operations.
Security hardening measures should include deploying web application firewalls with path traversal detection capabilities, implementing least privilege principles for the Arc process execution environment, and establishing comprehensive logging of archive-related file operations. Regular security assessments should verify that input validation is consistently applied across all user-facing interfaces and that the system maintains proper file access controls even when processing potentially malicious inputs through administrative functions.