CVE-2026-91989 in atomic-agents-stack
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
atomic-agents-stack before 1.1.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the dashboard HTTP server that allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files by supplying directory traversal sequences in request paths. Attackers can bypass path containment checks by including '../' segments in requests to the DashboardHandler.do_GET endpoint to access files outside the intended agents_root directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The atomic-agents-stack software, specifically versions prior to 1.1.0, contains a critical path traversal vulnerability within its dashboard HTTP server component. This flaw stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input in the request paths processed by the DashboardHandler.do_GET endpoint. The underlying technical issue is that the application fails to properly canonicalize or sanitize file system paths before accessing resources on the host operating system. Consequently, an attacker can inject directory traversal sequences, such as ../ segments, into HTTP requests directed at this handler. These malicious inputs allow the request path to escape the intended agents_root directory and traverse up the file system hierarchy to access arbitrary files stored elsewhere on the server. This represents a classic failure in input validation where the application trusts user-provided data without verifying that it remains within the expected security boundary of the web root or designated resource directory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables remote attackers with network access to perform unauthorized file reads. By exploiting this path traversal flaw, an attacker can potentially exfiltrate sensitive configuration files, source code containing hardcoded credentials, private keys, database connection strings, and other confidential data residing on the server. This capability directly compromises the confidentiality of the system and its associated applications. In many deployment scenarios, such as cloud environments or internal development servers, these exposed files may contain secrets that grant further access to downstream services, databases, or administrative interfaces. The ability to read arbitrary files effectively turns a simple information disclosure vulnerability into a potential gateway for broader system compromise if critical security artifacts are accessible.
From a classification perspective, 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 can cause the path to go outside of the intended directory. Furthermore, in terms of offensive security tactics, this exploitation technique corresponds to ATT&CK Technique T1083: File and Directory Discovery, specifically under the sub-technique of using traversal sequences to access restricted areas. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely if the dashboard HTTP server is bound to a network interface accessible by untrusted parties or internal networks where lateral movement is possible without additional authentication barriers for this specific endpoint.
To mitigate this risk, organizations running atomic-agents-stack versions before 1.1.0 should immediately upgrade to version 1.1.0 or later, which addresses the input validation logic in the DashboardHandler.do_GET method. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations include restricting network access to the dashboard HTTP server using firewall rules so that only trusted internal IP ranges can reach it. Additionally, deploying a Web Application Firewall with specific rules to detect and block directory traversal patterns such as ../ or encoded variants like %2e%2e/ in request URIs can provide an additional layer of defense. It is also advisable to run the dashboard service under a restricted user account with minimal file system permissions, ensuring that even if path traversal occurs, the attacker cannot access sensitive files located outside their permitted scope. Regular security audits and static code analysis should be employed to identify similar input handling flaws in other components of the stack before they can be exploited.