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Magic Wormhole: receive, with --output pointing at an existing directory can be path-traversed

Low severity GitHub Reviewed Published May 5, 2026 in magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole • Updated May 6, 2026

Package

pip magic-wormhole (pip)

Affected versions

= 0.23.0

Patched versions

0.24.0

Description

Impact

A receiver who specifies "--output

" where that output directory currently exists (as a directory).

Patches

0.24.0 will contain the patch

Workarounds

Ensure local target directories specified by "--output" do not already exist

Resources

Private email and Signal communications from a user.
Magic Wormhole thanks @marduc812

References

@meejah meejah published to magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole May 5, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database May 6, 2026
Reviewed May 6, 2026
Last updated May 6, 2026

Severity

Low

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(13th percentile)

Weaknesses

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

The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-42448

GHSA ID

GHSA-cf92-gfcw-6v53

Source code

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