# CVE-2026-73653: Vitest: Browser Mode provider commands bypass the file-access permission gate

> Attackers can read, create, or delete arbitrary local files via Vitest Browser Mode commands due to missing permission checks and path confinement.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 13 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** CLEANSTART-2026-UN72189, CLSA-2026-1790162728, CLSA-2026-1792160965, CLSA-2026-1792161476, CLSA-2026-1792161578, CLSA-2026-1792161651, CLSA-2026-1792161664, CLSA-2026-1792161723, CLSA-2026-1792161770, CLSA-2026-1792161833, CLSA-2026-1792161879, CLSA-2026-1792161944, CLSA-2026-1792161978, CLSA-2026-1792162038, CLSA-2026-1792162062, GHSA-p63j-vcc4-9vmv, MINI-p294-9m57-wv2p, MINI-qh6g-jpp9-r5qx

## What is CVE-2026-73653?

CVE-2026-73653 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in vitest-dev vitest, published on 13 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vitest is a testing framework powered by Vite. Prior to versions 3.2.7, 4.1.10, and 5.0.0-beta.6, Browser Mode provider commands including upload, takeScreenshot, screenshotMatcher, stopChunkTrace, deleteTracing, and annotateTraces accept browser-supplied file paths without enforcing the allowWrite permission gate or confining paths to the project root. A client that can reach the Browser Mode API can read arbitrary local files, create or overwrite image and trace files, or delete files accessible to the Vitest process even when allowWrite is false. This issue is fixed in versions 3.2.7, 4.1.10, and 5.0.0-beta.6.

Weakness: CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), CWE-552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties), CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73653?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including @vitest/browser.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | All versions | 3.2.7 |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | All versions | 3.2.7 |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | From 4.0.0 | 4.1.10 |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | From 4.0.0 | 4.1.10 |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | From 5.0.0-beta.1 | 5.0.0-beta.6 |
| `@vitest/browser` | npm | From 5.0.0-beta.1 | 5.0.0-beta.6 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-73653?

Upgrade @vitest/browser to a fixed version for your release line: 3.2.7, 4.1.10 or 5.0.0-beta.6.

## Is CVE-2026-73653 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73653 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-73653 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73653 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in vitest-dev vitest, published on 13 Aug 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-2026-73653 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 3.2.7
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 3.2.7
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.1.10
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected from 4.0.0; fixed in 4.1.10
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected from 5.0.0-beta.1; fixed in 5.0.0-beta.6
- @vitest/browser (npm): affected from 5.0.0-beta.1; fixed in 5.0.0-beta.6

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-2026-73653/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73653/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73653
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73653
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73653

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73653/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.