CVE-2026-12609: eclipse foundation eclipse theia Path Traversal

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-12609 is a high (CVSS 7.5) Path Traversal vulnerability in eclipse foundation eclipse theia. EPSS estimates a 1.64% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 76% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 05-08-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 05-08-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

In Eclipse Theia versions 1.66.0 and up until including 1.73.1, the `@theia/plugin-ext` backend exposes the `/hostedPlugin/:pluginId/:path(*)` HTTP endpoint, which resolves the requested file path with `path.resolve(localPath, filePath)` without verifying that the resolved path stays within the plugin's directory. An unauthenticated network attacker can send percent-encoded `../` sequences (`%2e%2e%2f`) that decode into the path parameter and escape the plugin directory, allowing arbitrary files readable by the Theia backend process to be retrieved. Plugin IDs are derived deterministically from a plugin's publisher and name, so built-in plugins serve as reliable anchors that require no prior knowledge of the target system.

• CWE-22Improper 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.