Executive brief
InstructLab is an open-source AI model development tool. A security flaw in its chat session handler allows a local user to bypass directory restrictions and write files to unauthorized locations on the system. This could lead to the modification of sensitive system data or the exposure of private information.
Technical details
A path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) exists in InstructLab within the chat session handler component. The root cause is the lack of sanitization of the `logs_dir` parameter, which is passed directly to `os.makedirs()` and used in file path construction without boundary validation in `src/instructlab/model/chat.py`. A local attacker with low privileges can exploit this by manipulating the parameter to escape the intended logging directory. This allows for arbitrary directory creation and file writes, potentially leading to unauthorized data modification or disclosure. At the time of reporting, the vulnerability was identified in Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI 3.0 and the InstructLab project.
Affected products
- Red Hat InstructLab unspecified
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI 3.0
Timeline
- 2026-04-21: disclosed: Initial report in Red Hat Bugzilla
- 2026-04-22: advisory: CVE published by Red Hat