# CVE-2026-108981: Path traversal in ngx cache purge

> Attackers can delete arbitrary files via symlink attacks in ngx_cache_purge when nginx and applications share user permissions.

- **Severity:** Low 3.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-108981, GHSA-5fhq-3m7h-fqv8, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-108981

## What is CVE-2026-108981?

CVE-2026-108981 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in denji ngx_cache_purge, published on 12 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ngx_cache_purge before 3.0.4 can allow file deletion via a symlink attack in certain situations where nginx and a served application (e.g., WordPress) run under the same user account. The attacker must be able to create a symlink inside the cache path. Version 3.0.4 fixes this for the case of a symlink created at an arbitrary earlier time, but does not resolve an applicable TOCTOU race condition. (The ngx_cache_purge module follows symlinks while walking the cache directory tree during purge operations. The module relies on nginx's ngx_walk_tree(), which relies on stat() and therefore follows symlinks.)

Weakness: CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-108981?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-108981?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-108981 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-108981 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-108981 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-108981 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in denji ngx_cache_purge, published on 12 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-108981 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: denji ngx_cache_purge. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2026-108981/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-108981/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-108981
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-108981
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-108981

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-108981/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.