# CVE-2026-23491: InvoicePlane has Unauthenticated Path Traversal in Guest Controller

> Unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files, including database credentials, via path traversal in the Guest controller.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-88gq-mv54-v3fc

## What is CVE-2026-23491?

CVE-2026-23491 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in InvoicePlane, published on 18 Feb 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

InvoicePlane is a self-hosted open source application for managing invoices, clients, and payments. A path traversal vulnerability exists in the `get_file` method of the `Guest` module's `Get` controller in InvoicePlane up to and including through 1.6.3. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files on the server by manipulating the input filename. This leads to the disclosure of sensitive information, including configuration files with database credentials. Version 1.6.4 fixes the issue.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-23491?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Invoiceplane Invoiceplane.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-23491?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-23491 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-23491 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-23491 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-23491 - InvoicePlane has Unauthenticated Path Traversal in Guest Controller (github_poc): https://github.com/lukasz-rybak/CVE-2026-23491
- InvoicePlane <= 1.6.3 - Arbitrary File Read (nuclei): http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-23491.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in InvoicePlane

- [CVE-2025-67084](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-67084/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2024-56975](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-56975/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-25548](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-25548/): InvoicePlane Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via Local File Inclusion and Log Poisoning (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2017-1000238](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000238/): File upload in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-29024](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29024/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-23491 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-23491 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in InvoicePlane, published on 18 Feb 2026. 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-2026-23491 exists.

Affected product: InvoicePlane. 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-2026-23491/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23491/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-23491
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-23491
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-23491

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23491/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.