# CVE-2026-26228: VLC for Android < 3.7.0 Remote Access Path Traversal

> An authenticated attacker can read files outside the intended directory via path traversal in the Remote Access Server, requiring the feature to be enabled.

- **Severity:** Low 2.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jjjp-v7q5-4xgm

## What is CVE-2026-26228?

CVE-2026-26228 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in VideoLAN VLC for Android, published on 26 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VideoLAN VLC for Android prior to version 3.7.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the Remote Access Server routing for the authenticated endpoint GET /download. The file query parameter is concatenated into a filesystem path under the configured download directory without canonicalization or directory containment checks, allowing an authenticated attacker with network reachability to the Remote Access Server to request files outside the intended directory. The impact is bounded by the Android application sandbox and storage restrictions, typically limiting exposure to app-internal and app-specific external storage.

Weakness: CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path), CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-26228?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-26228?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-26228 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-26228 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-26228 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-26228 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-26228 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in VideoLAN VLC for Android, published on 26 Feb 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-26228 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VideoLAN VLC for Android. 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-2026-26228/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26228/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-26228
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-26228
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-26228

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26228/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.