CVE-2026-28286 ZimaOS: Unauthorized Creation of Files/Folders in Restricted System Directories via API
Attackers can bypass frontend restrictions to create files in sensitive system directories via the API, potentially leading to privilege escalation.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-28286?
CVE-2026-28286 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in IceWhaleTech ZimaOS, published on 2 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
ZimaOS is a fork of CasaOS, an operating system for Zima devices and x86-64 systems with UEFI. In version 1.5.2-beta3, the application enforces restrictions in the frontend/UI to prevent users from creating files or folders in internal OS paths. However, when interacting directly with the API, the restrictions are bypass-able. By sending a crafted request targeting paths like /etc, /usr, or other sensitive system directories, the API successfully creates files or directories in locations where normal users should have no write access. This indicates that the API does not properly validate the target path, allowing unauthorized operations on critical system directories. No known patch is publicly available.
Weakness: CWE-73
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-28286?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Zimaspace Zimaos.
How do I fix CVE-2026-28286?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-28286 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2026-28286 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-28286 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in IceWhaleTech ZimaOS
- CVE-2026-21891 ZimaOS has Authentication Bypass via System-Level Username
- CVE-2026-28798 Arbitrary internal service access via /v1/sys/proxy when Cloudflare Tunnel is enabled on ZimaOS
- CVE-2026-28442 ZimaOS: Arbitrary Deletion of Internal System Files via API Path Manipulation
- CVE-2024-48931 ZimaOS Arbitrary File Read via Parameter Manipulation
- CVE-2024-49357 ZimaOS (Installed Applications and System Information) has Unauthorized Sensitive Data Leak
Sources
Also known as GHSA-65mg-9gw5-vr7g.