CVE-2026-118485: Axel · Path Traversal: '../filedir
Affects AxelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.0 High.
Data as of 28 Oct 2026, 12:42 UTC
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 28 Oct 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Axel Download AcceleratorAxel | Affected
| Fixed in– |
GitHubAxelpkg:github/AxelOther threats | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.
AI-suggested
Users should avoid using vulnerable versions (2.17.14 and earlier) until a fix is released. Restricting the execution environment of Axel to prevent unauthorized file writes and monitoring for suspicious file modifications may help mitigate risk in the interim.
Description
Axel Download Accelerator versions 2.17.14 and earlier contain a path traversal vulnerability due to improper handling of URL-encoded sequences in the output filename. This flaw allows an attacker to craft URLs with encoded '../' sequences that bypass URL parsing and cause downloaded files to be written outside the intended directory.
References
- github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/issues/477 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/pull/483/changes/4e76e1a1dd1c4ea11b445e2c45e4ee257c76314e (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/milestone/22 (opens in a new tab)
- advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisories/167 (opens in a new tab)