CVE-2026-45774 in compliance-trestle
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2026
compliance-trestle is a tooling platform for managing compliance as code. Prior to versiions 3.12.2 and 4.0.3, the compliance-trestle library's profile import mechanism resolves `trestle://` URIs and relative file paths by joining them with `trestle_root` and calling `.resolve()`, but performs no boundary check to ensure the resolved path stays within the trestle workspace. An attacker can craft a malicious OSCAL profile YAML with `imports[].href` containing path traversal sequences to read arbitrary files from the server filesystem. Versions 3.12.3 and 4.0.3 patch the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2026
The compliance-trestle platform serves as a critical tool for managing compliance as code within organizations, enabling automated governance and regulatory adherence through structured data formats. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 3.12.2 and 4.0.3 where the profile import mechanism demonstrates a dangerous path traversal flaw in its URI resolution process. The system accepts `trestle://` URIs and relative file paths but fails to implement proper boundary validation when resolving these paths against the configured `trestle_root` directory. This design oversight creates a fundamental security gap that allows malicious actors to exploit the import functionality through crafted OSCAL profile YAML files containing path traversal sequences in the `imports[].href` fields. The vulnerability stems from the absence of sanitization checks that would normally prevent directory traversal attacks by ensuring resolved paths remain confined within the designated workspace boundaries. When an attacker constructs a malicious profile with carefully crafted relative paths such as `../../../etc/passwd`, the system resolves these paths without validation, potentially allowing access to sensitive files outside the intended trestle workspace.
The technical impact of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-352 Cross-Site Request Forgery patterns commonly found in compliance management systems. This flaw enables arbitrary file read operations that can expose sensitive configuration data, authentication credentials, or system information stored on the server filesystem. The operational consequences extend beyond simple information disclosure as attackers could potentially access critical infrastructure files, application secrets, or other confidential data that should remain isolated within the trestle workspace boundaries. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it leverages legitimate import functionality that organizations typically trust and enable for normal operations, making detection more difficult. This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation where the system assumes all imported paths are safe and properly scoped within the intended directory structure.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including updating to versions 3.12.3 or 4.0.3 which contain the necessary boundary checking patches. Organizations must also consider implementing additional controls such as restricting file import permissions, validating all imported profile content through automated scanning tools, and monitoring for suspicious import activities within their compliance management workflows. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 Phishing with Malicious File and T1078 Valid Accounts, as attackers could potentially use this flaw to escalate privileges or gain unauthorized access to system resources. Network segmentation strategies should be reinforced to limit direct access to trestle workspaces, while proper file access controls must be enforced to prevent unauthorized reading of critical system files through path traversal mechanisms. The patch addresses the core issue by implementing strict boundary validation that prevents any resolved path from escaping the designated trestle workspace, thereby eliminating the attack surface for directory traversal exploits targeting the profile import functionality.