# CVE-2026-56258: Crawl4AI - Arbitrary File Write via output_path Symlink and TOCTOU

> Unauthenticated attackers can write arbitrary files via symlink and TOCTOU flaws in Crawl4AI, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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:** 23 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7cx2-g3h9-382p, GHSA-wx2c-3cp2-f6qw, PYSEC-2026-228

## What is CVE-2026-56258?

CVE-2026-56258 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Crawl4AI, published on 23 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Crawl4AI before 0.8.8 contains an arbitrary file write vulnerability in the screenshot and PDF endpoints that allows unauthenticated attackers to write files outside the intended directory via symlink and time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) attacks on the output_path parameter. Remote attackers can exploit insufficient path validation and symlink following to achieve arbitrary file write and potential code execution on systems where the runtime user has write access to executable or cron locations.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-56258?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including crawl4ai. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `crawl4ai` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.8 |
| `crawl4ai` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.8 |
| `crawl4ai` | PyPI | All versions | 0.8.8 |

Products: Kidocode Crawl4ai.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-56258?

Upgrade crawl4ai to 0.8.8 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-56258 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-56258 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Crawl4AI

- [CVE-2026-57572](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57572/): Crawl4AI: Unauthenticated RCE via Chromium launch-argument injection in browser_config.extra_args (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-26216](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-26216/): Crawl4AI < 0.8.0 Docker API Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Hooks Parameter (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-53753](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53753/): Crawl4AI: AST Sandbox Escape via gi_frame.f_back Chain - Pre-Auth RCE in Docker API (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-57571](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57571/): Crawl4AI arbitrary file write via download filename path traversal (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2026-56265](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56265/): Crawl4AI - Authentication Bypass via Hardcoded JWT Signing Key (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-56258 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-56258 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Crawl4AI, published on 23 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-56258 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- crawl4ai (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.8
- crawl4ai (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.8
- crawl4ai (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 0.8.8

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-2026-56258/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56258/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-56258
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-56258
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-56258

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56258/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.