# CVE-2023-36460: Mastodon vulnerable to arbitrary file creation through media attachments

> Attackers can create or overwrite arbitrary files via crafted media attachments, leading to remote code execution or denial of service.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Jul 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** BIT-mastodon-2023-36460, GHSA-9928-3cp5-93fm

## What is CVE-2023-36460?

CVE-2023-36460 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in mastodon, published on 6 Jul 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. Starting in version 3.5.0 and prior to versions 3.5.9, 4.0.5, and 4.1.3, attackers using carefully crafted media files can cause Mastodon's media processing code to create arbitrary files at any location. This allows attackers to create and overwrite any file Mastodon has access to, allowing Denial of Service and arbitrary Remote Code Execution. Versions 3.5.9, 4.0.5, and 4.1.3 contain a patch for this issue.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-36460?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including mastodon. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `mastodon` | Bitnami | From 3.5.0 | 3.5.9, 4.0.5, 4.1.3 |

Products: Joinmastodon Mastodon.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-36460?

Upgrade mastodon to a fixed version for your release line: 3.5.9, 4.0.5 or 4.1.3.

## Is CVE-2023-36460 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36460 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in mastodon

- [CVE-2022-2166](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2166/): Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts in mastodon/mastodon (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-24307](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24307/): Missing authorization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-21018](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-21018/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-23832](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23832/): Mastodon Remote user impersonation and takeover (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2023-36459](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36459/): Mastodon vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting through oEmbed preview cards (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-36460 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-36460 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in mastodon, published on 6 Jul 2023. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-36460 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- mastodon (Bitnami): affected from 3.5.0; fixed in 3.5.9, 4.0.5, 4.1.3

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36460/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36460/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-36460
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-36460
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-36460

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-36460/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.