# CVE-2026-40024: Sleuth Kit tsk_recover Path Traversal

> Attackers can write files to arbitrary locations via crafted filesystem images, potentially achieving code execution by overwriting system configurations.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-82007, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40024, GHSA-995r-jc2c-558w, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40024

## What is CVE-2026-40024?

CVE-2026-40024 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in sleuthkit, published on 8 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The Sleuth Kit through 4.14.0 contains a path traversal vulnerability in tsk_recover that allows an attacker to write files to arbitrary locations outside the intended recovery directory via crafted filenames or directory paths with path traversal sequences in a filesystem image. An attacker can craft a malicious filesystem image with embedded /../ sequences in filenames that, when processed by tsk_recover, writes files outside the output directory, potentially achieving code execution by overwriting shell configuration or cron entries.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-40024?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sleuthkit the Sleuth Kit.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-40024?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-40024 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40024 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in sleuthkit

- [CVE-2019-14531](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14531/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-10233](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10233/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2018-11737](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11737/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2018-11738](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11738/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2018-11739](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11739/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-40024 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-40024 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in sleuthkit, published on 8 Apr 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-40024 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: sleuthkit. 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-2026-40024/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40024/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40024
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40024
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40024

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40024/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.