CVE-2026-93448 in Langflow OSS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
IBM Langflow OSS 1.0.0 through 1.12.2 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information due to improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified in IBM Langflow versions 1.0.0 through 1.12.2 represents a critical security flaw rooted in the application's handling of file system paths, specifically categorized under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory. This class of vulnerabilities is commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. In this specific context, the software fails to adequately sanitize or validate user-supplied input that dictates which files are accessed by the application. When an authenticated remote attacker provides a maliciously crafted pathname containing sequences such as dot-dot-slash (../) or other platform-specific escape characters, the underlying file system operations may resolve these references in a way that escapes the intended restricted directory boundary. This allows the attacker to read arbitrary files from the server's filesystem rather than being confined to the designated application data directories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it enables unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on the host machine. Since authentication is required, an attacker must first compromise valid credentials or exploit other vulnerabilities to gain initial access. However, once authenticated, the ability to traverse outside restricted directories can lead to the exposure of configuration files containing database passwords, API keys, private certificates, and internal application logic details. In many deployment scenarios, this information serves as a stepping stone for further attacks, such as privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The severity is compounded by the fact that Langflow is often used in data science and AI workflows where sensitive datasets and model weights may be stored locally, making the leakage of these assets particularly damaging to organizational security postures.
From a threat intelligence perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1083: File and Directory Discovery, which describes how adversaries search local system files and directories for information relevant to their objectives. The exploitation vector is remote but requires authentication, placing it within the category of authenticated attacks that leverage improper input validation. This type of flaw often arises during development when developers assume that restricting access at the application level or relying on default directory structures is sufficient without implementing strict canonicalization checks. The failure to normalize paths before accessing them allows relative path components to manipulate the absolute file location, bypassing security controls designed to limit scope.
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations running affected versions of IBM Langflow should immediately upgrade to version 1.12.3 or later where these input validation mechanisms have been corrected. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, administrators can implement compensating controls at the network and infrastructure levels. This includes restricting outbound file access through strict firewall rules that limit which directories the application process can read, applying least-privilege principles to the user account under which Langflow operates, and ensuring that sensitive configuration files are stored outside of web-accessible or application-managed directories entirely. Additionally, deploying a Web Application Firewall with specific signatures for path traversal attacks may provide an additional layer of defense by blocking requests containing suspicious pathname patterns before they reach the vulnerable application logic. Regular security audits focusing on input validation practices across all file-handling endpoints within the Langflow ecosystem are also recommended to prevent similar flaws from being introduced in future updates or custom extensions.