# CVE-2025-55149: Path Traversal Vulnerability in PDF Review Function (CWE-22)

> Attackers can read arbitrary PDF files on the server via path traversal in the review function, exposing sensitive documents.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 11 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rrgf-hcr9-jq6h, PYSEC-2026-1967

## What is CVE-2025-55149?

CVE-2025-55149 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ulab-uiuc tiny-scientist, published on 9 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Tiny-Scientist is a lightweight framework for automating the entire lifecycle of scientific research—from ideation to implementation, writing, and review. In versions 0.1.1 and below, a critical path traversal vulnerability has been identified in the review_paper function in backend/app.py. The vulnerability allows malicious users to access arbitrary PDF files on the server by providing crafted file paths that bypass the intended security restrictions. This vulnerability allows attackers to: read any PDF file accessible to the server process, potentially access sensitive documents outside the intended directory and perform reconnaissance on the server's file system structure. This issue does not currently have a fix.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-55149?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including tiny-scientist.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `tiny-scientist` | PyPI | All versions to 1.1.0 | None |
| `tiny-scientist` | PyPI | All versions to 1.1.0 | None |
| `tiny-scientist` | PyPI | All versions to 1.1.0 | None |

## How do I fix CVE-2025-55149?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-55149 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-55149 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-55149 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-55149 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-55149 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ulab-uiuc tiny-scientist, published on 9 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-55149 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- tiny-scientist (PyPI): affected all versions up to 1.1.0; no fix listed
- tiny-scientist (PyPI): affected all versions up to 1.1.0; no fix listed
- tiny-scientist (PyPI): affected all versions up to 1.1.0; 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-2025-55149/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55149/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-55149
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-55149
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-55149

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55149/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.