CVE-2026-40024: sleuthkit Path Traversal

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-40024 is a high (CVSS 8.4) Path Traversal vulnerability in sleuthkit. EPSS estimates a 0.21% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 10% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 08-04-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 01-10-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The Sleuth Kit through 4.14.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability in tsk_recover that allows an attacker to write files to arbitrary locations outside the intended recovery directory via crafted filenames or directory paths with path traversal sequences in a filesystem image. An attacker can craft a malicious filesystem image with embedded /../ sequences in filenames that, when processed by tsk_recover, writes files outside the output directory, potentially achieving code execution by overwriting shell configuration or cron entries.

• 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.