Payload CMS: Path traversal in upload file cleanup
Summary
Payload is a headless content management system. In affected versions, an authenticated user who can update or delete locally stored uploads can cause file cleanup to remove files outside the configured upload directory. This can lead to data loss or service disruption, while confidentiality is not affected. Exposure is highest where many users can manage uploads; deployments that restrict upload management to trusted users are less exposed.
Affected
- Payload before 3.90.0
- Payload 4.0.0-canary.0 up to before 4.0.0-canary.34
- Only upload collections with local file storage are relevant.
Fixed in
- Payload 3.90.0 or later
- Payload 4.0.0-canary.34 or later
Workaround
- Restrict upload update and deletion operations to trusted users.
- Validate submitted filenames.
- These measures are temporary; upgrading to a patched version is recommended.
Exploitation
- Not known to be exploited (CISA SSVC: exploitation none, automatable no).
- No public proof of concept found in our research; this may be incomplete.
Our recommendation
- Identify Payload instances and their versions (package.json or lockfile).
- Upgrade to 3.90.x or 4.0.0-canary.34 or later; check the 3.90.0 release notes for breaking changes first, for example stricter SVG and XML upload validation.
- Until then, limit upload edit and delete rights to trusted administrators.
- Back up the uploads directory before upgrading.
- Plan the upgrade promptly, as the same release fixes other advisories, some rated critical.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-p223-2wr2-j562 github.com
- Fix commit 6b74418 (constrain upload file deletion paths) github.com
- Payload release v3.90.0 github.com
- OSV: CVE-2026-105865 osv.dev
- Payload security update for 3.x and 4.0 payloadcms.com
- Payload upload storage adapters documentation payloadcms.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, 20:47.
Original description (NVD)
Payload is a free and open source headless content management system. In versions before 3.90.0 and canary versions before 4.0.0-canary.34, an authenticated user who can update or delete uploads stored locally can cause file cleanup to remove unintended files outside the configured upload directory, resulting in data loss or service disruption. Deployments that restrict upload management to trusted users are less exposed. This issue is fixed in versions 3.90.0 and 4.0.0-canary.34.
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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