CVE-2026-67613: 
Cyberpanel vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2026-67613 is a path traversal vulnerability in CyberPanel before version 3.0.0 that allows authenticated administrators to read arbitrary files from the server filesystem. The flaw exists in the cloudAPI ReadReport endpoint, where the reportFile parameter in the JSON request body is passed directly to open() in cloudManager.py without any validation or allowlisting. It was disclosed on August 13, 2026, and affects all CyberPanel versions prior to 3.0.0. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.9 (Medium) and a CVSS v4.0 base score of 6.9 (Medium) (GitHub Advisory, Feedly).

The root cause is CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), where user-supplied input is used to construct a file path without sanitization or allowlisting (GitHub Advisory). An authenticated administrator sends a crafted JSON POST request to the cloudAPI ReadReport endpoint, manipulating the reportFile parameter with path traversal sequences (e.g., ../../) to reference files outside the intended directory. Because CyberPanel runs as a root-privileged process, the traversal can reach any file on the filesystem, including /etc/shadow, SSL/SSH private keys, and JWT secret files. The vulnerability was originally reported via a private GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-xg3g-3m5v-r9v9) by researcher Deniz Mert on July 27, 2026 (GitHub Issue).

Successful exploitation allows an authenticated administrator to exfiltrate arbitrary files readable by the root-privileged CyberPanel process, resulting in a high confidentiality impact with no integrity or availability impact. Sensitive assets at risk include credential files (e.g., /etc/shadow, database passwords), SSL and SSH private keys, and JWT secret files (GitHub Advisory). Disclosure of SSH private keys or JWT secrets could enable lateral movement or session hijacking, significantly amplifying the overall risk beyond the initial file read primitive (VulnCheck).

There is currently no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation (Feedly). The EPSS score is approximately 0.389% (32nd percentile), indicating a relatively low near-term exploitation probability. Exploitation requires authenticated administrator-level access, which limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk in environments with compromised or malicious admin accounts. No threat actor attribution or CISA KEV catalog listing has been identified at this time (GitHub Advisory).

1. Obtain Administrator Credentials: Acquire valid CyberPanel administrator credentials through phishing, credential stuffing, or reuse of previously leaked passwords.
2. Authenticate to CyberPanel: Log in to the CyberPanel web interface or API to obtain a valid session token or authentication cookie.
3. Identify the Target Endpoint: Locate the cloudAPI ReadReport endpoint (e.g., /cloudAPI/ or equivalent route handled by cloudManager.py).
4. Craft Malicious Request: Construct a JSON POST request with a manipulated reportFile parameter containing path traversal sequences, for example:

{
  "reportFile": "../../../etc/shadow"
}

5. Send the Request: Submit the crafted request to the ReadReport endpoint using a tool such as curl or Burp Suite, including the valid authentication header or session cookie.
6. Retrieve Sensitive File Contents: The server returns the contents of the targeted file (e.g., /etc/shadow, SSH private keys, JWT secrets) in the response, which can then be used for further attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement (GitHub Advisory, VulnCheck).

• Network: Unusual POST requests to the CyberPanel cloudAPI ReadReport endpoint containing ../ or URL-encoded traversal sequences (%2e%2e%2f) in the request body; unexpected outbound connections from the CyberPanel server following file read activity.
• Logs: CyberPanel access logs showing repeated or anomalous requests to the ReadReport endpoint with reportFile values referencing system paths (e.g., /etc/, /root/, /home/); Python exceptions or errors in CyberPanel application logs related to unexpected file paths.
• File System: No direct file system artifacts are expected from a read-only path traversal, but subsequent attacker activity (e.g., new SSH authorized keys, new cron jobs) may indicate use of exfiltrated credentials.
• Process: Unexpected SSH login attempts using keys that match those stored on the server; new sessions authenticated with JWT tokens derived from exfiltrated secrets.

Update CyberPanel to version 3.0.0 or later, which addresses this path traversal vulnerability (CyberPanel Changelog). As interim mitigations, implement strict input validation and allowlisting for file paths accepted by the ReadReport endpoint, and apply the principle of least privilege to reduce the CyberPanel process permissions away from root where possible. Monitor CyberPanel access logs for suspicious reportFile parameter values containing traversal sequences, and restrict administrative access to trusted IP addresses using firewall rules (GitHub Advisory).

The vulnerability was assigned by VulnCheck and published to the GitHub Advisory Database on August 13, 2026, with a moderate severity rating (GitHub Advisory). The original researcher (Deniz Mert) reported the issue via a private GitHub Security Advisory, indicating responsible disclosure practices were followed (GitHub Issue). No significant broader media coverage or notable researcher commentary beyond the initial advisory has been identified at this time.