CVE-2026-48024 Wazuh: merged-file header path traversal in cluster sync allows arbitrary file write under WAZUH_PATH in Wazuh manager
A cluster peer can exploit path traversal to overwrite configuration files, leading to arbitrary code execution with root privileges on the Wazuh manager.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-48024?
CVE-2026-48024 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Wazuh Wazuh, published on 19 Aug 2026. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Official description
Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. From 4.0.0 until 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3, cluster.unmerge_info() in framework/wazuh/core/cluster/cluster.py constructs paths from peer-controlled merge_type and name values in a merged synchronization archive. process_files_from_worker() in framework/wazuh/core/cluster/master.py does not adequately confine the resulting path to the declared cluster item directory. A cluster peer holding the shared Fernet key can use traversal in files_metadata.json or a merged-file header to write files such as /var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf. Replacing ossec.conf can configure root-executed commands and lead to code execution when Wazuh services reload. This issue is fixed in versions 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3.
Weakness: CWE-22
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-48024?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Wazuh Wazuh.
How do I fix CVE-2026-48024?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-48024 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2026-48024 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-48024 exists.
Other vulnerabilities in Wazuh Wazuh
- CVE-2025-24016 Wazuh Server Deserialization of Untrusted Data
- CVE-2024-32038 Wazuh Analysis Engine Event Decoder Heap-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- CVE-2021-44079 Command injection in n/a
- CVE-2024-1243 Remote code execution and local privilege escalation in Wazuh Windows agent via NetNTLMv2 hash theft
- CVE-2026-61800 Wazuh cluster worker file sync allows arbitrary file write under /var/ossec (incomplete fix for CVE-2026-30893)
Sources
Also known as GHSA-gh4h-fx78-q8xc.