# CVE-2026-109596: Hugo from v0.162.0 before v0.167.0 Symlink File Disclosure via Nested Mount Ancestor

> Attackers can use malicious themes to expose local files outside the project root via symlink manipulation during site builds.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Oct 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-109596, GHSA-38r7-h6rh-gjv9, GHSA-6c8w-mpp8-9w47, MINI-g6q6-rrc3-5j8v, MINI-j7f2-4254-c2jv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-109596

## What is CVE-2026-109596?

CVE-2026-109596 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in gohugoio hugo, published on 12 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Hugo from v0.162.0 before v0.167.0 contains an improper link resolution vulnerability that lets malicious themes or modules expose files outside their root via nested-mount ancestor directories. Attackers controlling a theme can place a symlink or NTFS junction at a virtual ancestor directory, causing resources.Match to list and publish local files during builds.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-109596?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-109596?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-109596 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-109596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-109596 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-109596 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in gohugoio hugo, published on 12 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-109596 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: gohugoio hugo. 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-2026-109596/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-109596/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-109596
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-109596
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-109596

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-109596/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.