# CVE-2026-38993: Cockpit CMS directory traversal in Buckets component

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-38993-cockpit-cms-directory-traversal-in-buckets-component  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-04-29. Updated: 2026-06-30  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-38993 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.5 · Published 2026-04-29

Cockpit CMS, a content management system used to manage website data, contains a security flaw in its Buckets component. An authorized user can exploit this to save files in unintended locations on the server or replace existing website assets with malicious versions. This could lead to unauthorized website changes or the hosting of malicious content.

Technologies: [cockpit-hq/cockpit (Packagist)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/cockpit-hq-cockpit). Vendors: [Packagist](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/packagist).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-38993 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-38993 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-38993?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.5, published 29 April 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** cockpit-hq/cockpit (Packagist) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=2.14.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-38993?** Yes. cockpit-hq/cockpit (Packagist): upgrade to 2.14.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-38993 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-38993?** Check whether you run cockpit-hq/cockpit (Packagist) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- cockpit-hq/cockpit (Packagist): upgrade to 2.14.0 or later

  ```sh
  composer require cockpit-hq/cockpit:^2.14.0
  ```


## Technical details

A directory traversal vulnerability exists in the Buckets component of Cockpit CMS versions 2.13.5 and earlier. The flaw stems from improper validation of user-supplied paths, allowing an authenticated attacker to bypass restricted directory boundaries. By crafting malicious requests, an attacker can perform arbitrary file writes within the uploads directory or overwrite existing assets with malicious content. This vulnerability is addressed in version 2.14.0, which implements stricter path validation for the Buckets component.

## Affected products

- Cockpit-HQ Cockpit CMS <= 2.13.5

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-38993
- GHSA-p46p-7pmj-m34f

## Timeline

- 2026-03-25: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to vendor.
- 2026-03-30: patched: Version 2.14.0 released with fix.
- 2026-04-29: advisory: Public disclosure and CVE assignment.

## References

- [https://felsec.com/posts/cockpit-cms-2.13.5-multi-vulns/](https://felsec.com/posts/cockpit-cms-2.13.5-multi-vulns/)
- [https://github.com/Cockpit-HQ/Cockpit/releases/tag/2.14.0](https://github.com/Cockpit-HQ/Cockpit/releases/tag/2.14.0)
- [https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-38993](https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-38993)
- [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2463843](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2463843)
- [https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-38993.json](https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-38993.json)

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