Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in hexpm hex allows a malicious package publisher to delete a directory outside the project's deps directory and extract package files into it when a developer fetches dependencies. A package release's requirements carry an app label that names the dependency's OTP application. Hex takes this label from the repository's signed registry and uses it as the dependency's application name without validating it (Hex.RemoteConverger.deps/2, Hex.Mix.to_lock/1). Mix derives the dependency's checkout directory as deps/<app>, and Hex.SCM.update/1 runs File.rm_rf!/1 on that directory and unpacks the package into it. hex.pm only checks the label's length, so a publisher can set it to a value such as ../../target. When a project depends on such a release directly or transitively, mix deps.get or mix deps.update deletes the directory the label resolves to and writes the labelled package's files there. This happens before any dependency code is compiled. This issue affects hex: from 0.6.0 before 2.5.2.
History

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important


Fri, 16 Oct 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in hexpm hex allows a malicious package publisher to delete a directory outside the project's deps directory and extract package files into it when a developer fetches dependencies. A package release's requirements carry an app label that names the dependency's OTP application. Hex takes this label from the repository's signed registry and uses it as the dependency's application name without validating it (Hex.RemoteConverger.deps/2, Hex.Mix.to_lock/1). Mix derives the dependency's checkout directory as deps/<app>, and Hex.SCM.update/1 runs File.rm_rf!/1 on that directory and unpacks the package into it. hex.pm only checks the label's length, so a publisher can set it to a value such as ../../target. When a project depends on such a release directly or transitively, mix deps.get or mix deps.update deletes the directory the label resolves to and writes the labelled package's files there. This happens before any dependency code is compiled. This issue affects hex: from 0.6.0 before 2.5.2.
Title Path traversal in Hex via unvalidated dependency app names
First Time appeared Hexpm
Hexpm hex
Weaknesses CWE-22
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:hexpm:hex:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Hexpm
Hexpm hex
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: EEF

Published: 2026-10-12T15:39:49.862Z

Updated: 2026-10-16T17:41:58.545Z

Reserved: 2026-10-01T09:00:02.103Z

Link: CVE-2026-96612

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-10-16T17:41:45.839Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2026-10-12T16:17:07.637

Modified: 2026-10-16T18:19:52.667

Link: CVE-2026-96612

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-10-12T15:39:49Z

Links: CVE-2026-96612 - Bugzilla