# CVE-2026-32981: Ray Dashboard <= 2.8.0 Path Traversal Leading to Local File Disclosure

> An attacker can exploit path traversal in Ray Dashboard to read arbitrary local files outside the intended directory.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j3mh-qmjj-xp83, PYSEC-2026-130

## What is CVE-2026-32981?

CVE-2026-32981 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in ray-project Ray, published on 17 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability was identified in Ray Dashboard (default port 8265) in Ray versions prior to 2.8.1. Due to improper validation and sanitization of user-supplied paths in the static file handling mechanism, an attacker can use traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to access files outside the intended static directory, resulting in local file disclosure.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-32981?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including ray. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `ray` | PyPI | All versions | 2.8.1 |
| `ray` | PyPI | All versions | 2.8.1 |
| `ray` | PyPI | All versions | 2.8.1 |

Products: Anyscale Ray.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-32981?

Upgrade ray to 2.8.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-32981 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32981 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ray-project Ray

- [CVE-2025-62593](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-62593/): Ray-Project Ray Code Injection (critical 9.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-48022](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48022/): Ray has arbitrary code execution via jobs submission API (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-48023](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48023/): Server-side request forgery in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-41486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41486/): Ray: Remote Code Execution via Parquet Arrow Extension Type Deserialization (high 8.9)
- [CVE-2026-57516](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57516/): Ray < 2.56.0 Unsafe Deserialization RCE via WebDataset Reader (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-32981 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-32981 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in ray-project Ray, published on 17 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-32981 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- ray (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.8.1
- ray (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.8.1
- ray (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2.8.1

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-2026-32981/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32981/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-32981
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-32981
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-32981

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-32981/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.