# CVE-2026-2551: ZenTao Backup control.php delete path traversal

> Remote attackers with permissions can exploit a path traversal in ZenTao's backup handler to read or modify arbitrary files.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 23 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8crw-7238-r6f8

## What is CVE-2026-2551?

CVE-2026-2551 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ZenTao, published on 16 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability was determined in ZenTao up to 21.7.8. Affected by this vulnerability is the function delete of the file editor/control.php of the component Backup Handler. This manipulation of the argument fileName causes path traversal. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been publicly disclosed and may be utilized.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-2551?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zentao Zentao.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-2551?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-2551 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-2551 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-2551 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ZenTao

- [CVE-2025-13787](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13787/): ZenTao File control.php delete privileges management (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2025-13789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13789/): ZenTao model.php makeRequest server-side request forgery (medium 5.3)
- [CVE-2026-2552](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2552/): ZenTao Editor control.php delete path traversal (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2026-1884](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-1884/): ZenTao Webhook model.php fetchHook server-side request forgery (medium 5.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-2551 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-2551 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ZenTao, published on 16 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-2551 exists.

Affected product: ZenTao. 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-2026-2551/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2551/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-2551
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-2551
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-2551

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2551/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.