# CVE-2026-30942: Flare has a Path Traversal in /api/avatars/[filename]

> An authenticated path traversal in Flare allows attackers to read arbitrary files from the server, requiring only a logged-in account which can be self-registered by default.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/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:** 10 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h639-p7m9-mpgp

## What is CVE-2026-30942?

CVE-2026-30942 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in FlintSH Flare, published on 10 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Flare is a Next.js-based, self-hostable file sharing platform that integrates with screenshot tools. Prior to 1.7.3, an authenticated path traversal vulnerability in /api/avatars/[filename] allows any logged-in user to read arbitrary files from within the application container. The filename URL parameter is passed to path.join() without sanitization, and getFileStream() performs no path validation, enabling %2F-encoded ../ sequences to escape the uploads/avatars/ directory and read any file accessible to the nextjs process under /app/. Authentication is enforced by Next.js middleware. However, on instances with open registration enabled (the default), any attacker can self-register and immediately exploit this. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.7.3.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-30942?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Flintsh Flare.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-30942?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-30942 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-30942 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-30942 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in FlintSH Flare

- [CVE-2026-30230](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30230/): Flare: Password‑Protected Thumbnail Bypass (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2026-30231](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30231/): Flare: Private File IDOR via raw/direct endpoints (medium 6.0)
- [CVE-2026-26993](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26993/): Flare has XSS vulnerability in Raw File Preview (medium 4.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-30942 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-30942 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in FlintSH Flare, published on 10 Mar 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-2026-30942 exists.

Affected product: FlintSH Flare. 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-2026-30942/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30942/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-30942
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-30942
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-30942

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-30942/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.