CVE-2026-62065 in Cardea Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
Unauthenticated Local File Inclusion in Cardea <= 2.3 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as an unauthenticated local file inclusion flaw within Cardea versions prior to or equal to 2.3 represents a critical security deficiency that allows attackers to read arbitrary files from the underlying operating system without requiring valid credentials. This type of vulnerability typically arises when an application fails to properly validate user-supplied input before using it to construct file paths for reading operations. In the context of Cardea, which is often deployed as part of digital forensics and incident response infrastructure, this flaw poses a severe risk because these systems frequently handle sensitive evidence data, system configurations, and potentially credential stores. An attacker who can access the web interface or API endpoints associated with Cardea can exploit this weakness to traverse directories and retrieve files that are not intended for public consumption, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms entirely due to the unauthenticated nature of the initial vector.
From a technical perspective, local file inclusion vulnerabilities occur when an application uses user-controllable input to specify which file should be included or read by the server-side script. If the framework does not sanitize this input against directory traversal sequences such as dot-dot-slash characters, it becomes possible for an attacker to manipulate the path variable to point outside of the intended web root or application directory structure. This allows access to critical system files like etc/passwd on Unix-like systems or boot.ini and registry hives on Windows environments. In Cardea's case, since it is a specialized tool for processing digital evidence, successful exploitation could lead to the exfiltration of forensic artifacts, database credentials stored in configuration files, or private keys used for securing communications within the investigation workflow. The lack of authentication requirement means that any user with network access to the service can attempt this attack, significantly expanding the potential attack surface beyond just authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, particularly given the sensitive nature of data processed by Cardea. Forensic investigators rely on these tools to maintain chain-of-custody and ensure the integrity of evidence. If an attacker gains access to raw file contents through local file inclusion, they could potentially steal personally identifiable information contained in digital artifacts, compromise the confidentiality of ongoing investigations, or even modify system configurations if write permissions are inadvertently exposed alongside read capabilities. Furthermore, reading sensitive configuration files might reveal database connection strings containing plaintext passwords, which can then be used for further lateral movement within the network hosting Cardea. This undermines the trustworthiness of the forensic platform itself and could lead to legal challenges regarding the admissibility of evidence if its integrity cannot be guaranteed due to unauthorized access possibilities.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations running Carlea versions up to 2.3 must immediately upgrade to a patched version where input validation has been strengthened. The primary remediation strategy involves implementing strict allow-listing for file paths and ensuring that all user-supplied inputs are sanitized against directory traversal characters before being processed by the application logic. Additionally, deploying the service behind an authentication gateway or web application firewall can provide an additional layer of defense by blocking requests with suspicious path patterns at the network level. It is also recommended to restrict file system permissions so that the Cardea process runs under a least-privilege account with minimal read access to sensitive directories outside its operational scope. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that no similar input handling flaws exist in other modules of the application, ensuring comprehensive protection against local file inclusion attacks aligned with CWE-22 standards for improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory.