# CVE-2026-31978: motionEye: Arbitrary File Read via Path Traversal in Picture/Movie Preview Endpoint

> An authenticated user can read arbitrary files from the server via path traversal in motionEye's preview endpoints, exposing sensitive data.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g9fx-5r4h-pcw3, PYSEC-2026-2664

## What is CVE-2026-31978?

CVE-2026-31978 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in motioneye-project motioneye, published on 24 Jun 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

motionEye (mEye) is an online interface for motion software, which is a video surveillance program with motion detection. Versions prior to 0.44.0 are vulnerable to path traversal in the picture and movie API endpoints, suhc as /picture/{id}/preview/{filename}. Neither the API handlers, nor the mediafiles.py functions such as get_media_preview() check for .. sequences in the filename parameter, except for get_media_content(). This allows an authenticated user with normal (non-admin) privileges to read arbitrary files from the filesystem as the motionEye process user, such as:  /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, motionEye config files containing password hashes and plaintext passwords, SSH keys, and other cameras' surveillance footage. This issue has been fixed in version 0.44.0.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-31978?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including motioneye.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `motioneye` | PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |
| `motioneye` | PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |
| `motioneye` | PyPI | All versions | 0.44.0 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-31978?

Upgrade motioneye to 0.44.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-31978 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-31978 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-31978 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-31978 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in motioneye-project motioneye, published on 24 Jun 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-2026-31978 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0
- motioneye (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.44.0

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-2026-31978/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31978/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-31978
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-31978
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-31978

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-31978/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.