Kavita: Path traversal allows unauthenticated file read via cover-upload
Summary
Kavita, a self-hosted digital library for comics, manga and ebooks, contains a path traversal flaw in the cover-upload endpoint (/api/image/cover-upload). Unauthenticated attackers can send crafted GET requests with '../' sequences in the filename parameter to read arbitrary files, for example configuration files such as appsettings.json that may contain secrets. The CVE describes a confidentiality impact only, and the main risk exists for instances reachable from the internet.
Affected
- Kavita 0.5.2 up to but excluding 0.5.4.1 (according to the CVE record and the CNA)
Fixed in
- Kavita 0.5.4.1 or later (security hotfix release)
- The release notes do not name this CVE explicitly, so the mapping relies on the affected range.
Workaround
- Unknown. No vendor workaround is documented; upgrading is the only documented remedy.
- Restricting access to the web interface (VPN or authenticated reverse proxy) until patched is a suggestion, not a vendor measure.
Exploitation
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation status 'poc', automatable: yes.
- A public Nuclei detection template and a public huntr report exist.
- The CVE text states Shadowserver observed exploitation on 2023-10-18; this could not be independently verified.
- Not confirmed in the CISA KEV catalogue; verify directly.
Our recommendation
- Inventory all Kavita instances, including Docker containers, and identify versions below 0.5.4.1.
- Upgrade to the latest stable release.
- Check whether the web interface is reachable from the internet and restrict access where possible.
- Rotate secrets stored in configuration files on any instance that was exposed.
- Review web server logs for requests to /api/image/cover-upload containing '../'.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE-2022-51024 Kavita 0.5.4.1 unauthenticated path traversal (VulnCheck) www.vulncheck.com
- Kavita fix commit referenced by the CVE github.com
- Kavita security hotfix 0.5.4.1 release notes opencollective.com
- Kavita security policy github.com
- Nuclei template kavita-lfi github.com
- huntr bounty report huntr.com
- Strix CVE record CVE-2022-51024 www.strix.ai
- ThreatInt CVE-2022-51024 cve.threatint.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 00:48.
Original description (NVD)
Kavita 0.5.2 before 0.5.4.1 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files by supplying '../' sequences in the filename parameter. Attackers can send GET requests to /api/image/cover-upload with filename values like ../appsettings.json to retrieve configuration files outside the temp directory. Exploitation evidence was first observed by the Shadowserver Foundation on 2023-10-18.
NVD references (5)
- https://github.com/Kareadita/Kavita/commit/88b5ebeb6
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/vulnerabilities/other/kavita-lfi.yaml
- https://huntr.com/bounties/2eef332b-65d2-4f13-8c39-44a8771a6f18
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/kavita-0.5.4.1-unauthenticated-path-traversal-via-cover-upload-endpoint
- https://huntr.com/bounties/2eef332b-65d2-4f13-8c39-44a8771a6f18
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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