# CVE-2026-32725: SciTokens C++: Relative Path Traversal Vulnerability

> Attackers can bypass authorization restrictions in SciTokens C++ by using path traversal in token scopes to access unauthorized directories.

- **Severity:** High 8.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **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:** 31 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 3 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-32725, GHSA-rqcx-mc9w-pjxp, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-32725

## What is CVE-2026-32725?

CVE-2026-32725 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in scitokens-cpp, published on 31 Mar 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SciTokens C++ is a minimal library for creating and using SciTokens from C or C++. Prior to version 1.4.1, scitokens-cpp is vulnerable to an authorization bypass when processing path-based scopes in tokens. The library normalizes the scope path from the token before authorization and collapses ".." path components instead of rejecting them. As a result, an attacker can use parent-directory traversal in the scope claim to broaden the effective authorization beyond the intended directory. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.1.

Weakness: CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-32725?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Scitokens Scitokens Cpp Library.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-32725?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-32725 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32725 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in scitokens-cpp

- [CVE-2026-32726](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32726/): SciTokens C++: Sibling-Path Authorization Bypass (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-32725 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-32725 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in scitokens-cpp, published on 31 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-2026-32725 exists.

Affected product: scitokens-cpp. 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-2026-32725/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32725/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-32725
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32725
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-32725

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32725/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.