Findings

Vulnerability · CVE-2026-86538

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Published Sep 17, 2026 · corrected/updated Sep 17, 2026 · knowns-dev knowns · evidence confidence very high

knowns versions before 0.30.0 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the POST /api/templates/preview endpoint that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files. Attackers can supply directory traversal sequences in the templateFile parameter to bypass path restrictions and read sensitive files like credentials and configuration through the JSON response.

Grounded briefings

Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.

Executive

CVE-2026-86538 is a unknown public vulnerability record for knowns-dev knowns. CISA lists it as known exploited. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.

System administrator

Identify whether knowns-dev knowns is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: knowns-dev knowns. Published remediation guidance: Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.

Security analyst

Signals on file: EPSS 1.0%. CISA lists it as known exploited. Sources contributing to this record: epss, vulncheck_kev. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.

Exploitation and remediation

  • Exploitation evidence

    Confirmed in CISA KEV since Sep 17, 2026. Listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV.

  • Patch and remediation

    Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.

  • Safe detection guidance

    Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

  1. Sep 17, 2026 · VulnCheck KEV

    Detected

    knowns versions before 0.30.0 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the POST /api/templates/preview endpoint that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files. Attackers can supply directory traversal sequences in the templateFile parameter to bypass path restrictions and read sensitive files like credentials and configuration through the JSON response.

  2. Sep 17, 2026 · CISA KEV

    Known exploited

    Apply remediations or mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if remediation or mitigations are unavailable.

Affected

  • vendor knowns-dev knownsversion unspecified

Sources

  • FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-86538

    30-day exploitation probability 1.0%

    first.org
  • VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2026-86538

    knowns versions before 0.30.0 contain a path traversal vulnerability in the POST /api/templates/preview endpoint that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files. Attackers can supply directory traversal sequences in the templateFile parameter to bypass path restrict

    vulncheck.com

References