# CVE-2025-1686: Pebble has Arbitrary Local File Inclusion (LFI) Vulnerability via `include` macro

> A high-privileged attacker can read sensitive local files via malicious templates using the include tag in the Pebble template engine.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 19 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p75g-cxfj-7wrx, ROOT-APP-MAVEN-CVE-2025-1686

## What is CVE-2025-1686?

CVE-2025-1686 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in io.pebbletemplates:pebble, published on 27 Feb 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Versions of the package io.pebbletemplates:pebble from 0 and before 4.1.0 are vulnerable to External Control of File Name or Path via the include tag. A high privileged attacker can access sensitive local files by crafting malicious notification templates that leverage this tag to include files like /etc/passwd or /proc/1/environ.

 Workaround

This vulnerability can be mitigated by disabling the include macro in Pebble Templates:

java
new PebbleEngine.Builder()
            .registerExtensionCustomizer(new DisallowExtensionCustomizerBuilder()
                    .disallowedTokenParserTags(List.of("include"))
                    .build())
            .build();

Weakness: CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-1686?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including io.pebbletemplates:pebble. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `io.pebbletemplates:pebble` | Maven | All versions to 3.2.3 | None |
| `io.pebbletemplates:pebble` | Maven | All versions to 3.2.3 | None |

Products: Pebbletemplates Pebble Templates.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-1686?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2025-1686 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-1686 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in io.pebbletemplates:pebble

- [CVE-2022-37767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37767/): Pebble Templates protection mechanism bypass can lead to arbitrary code execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-19899](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19899/): Pebble Templates Improper Input Validation vulnerability (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-1686 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-1686 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in io.pebbletemplates:pebble, published on 27 Feb 2025. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-1686 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- io.pebbletemplates:pebble (Maven): affected all versions up to 3.2.3; no fix listed
- io.pebbletemplates:pebble (Maven): affected all versions up to 3.2.3; no fix listed

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-2025-1686/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1686/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-1686
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-1686
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-1686

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-1686/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.