# CVE-2026-39942: Directus has a Path Traversal and Broken Access Control in File Management API

> Attackers can overwrite other users' files and manipulate metadata via the file management API, compromising data integrity and access controls.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/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:** 9 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 9 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-393c-p46r-7c95

## What is CVE-2026-39942?

CVE-2026-39942 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Monospace Directus, published on 9 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directus is a real-time API and App dashboard for managing SQL database content. Prior to 11.17.0, the PATCH /files/{id} endpoint accepts a user-controlled filename_disk parameter. By setting this value to match the storage path of another user's file, an attacker can overwrite that file's content while manipulating metadata fields such as uploaded_by to obscure the tampering. This vulnerability is fixed in 11.17.0.

Weakness: CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key), CWE-284 (Improper Access Control)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-39942?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including directus. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `directus` | npm | All versions | 11.17.0 |
| `directus` | npm | All versions | 11.17.0 |

Products: Monospace Directus.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-39942?

Upgrade directus to 11.17.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-39942 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-39942 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Monospace Directus

- [CVE-2022-26969](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26969/): Insecure default value for CORS configuration (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-55746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-55746/): Directus allows unauthenticated file upload and file modification due to lacking input sanitization (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-35408](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35408/): Directus is Missing Cross-Origin Opener Policy (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-61836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-61836/): Directus: Authorization-dependent response served from unsegmented cache key (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2025-30353](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-30353/): Directus's webhook trigger flows can leak sensitive data (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-39942 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-39942 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Monospace Directus, published on 9 Apr 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-39942 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- directus (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 11.17.0
- directus (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 11.17.0

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-2026-39942/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-39942/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-39942
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-39942
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-39942

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-39942/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.