# CVE-2026-53976: OpenChamber - Path Traversal

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2026-53976 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2026-53976

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Active Exploitation. The vulnerability is actively exploited at scale across the internet, often via automated tools and large attack campaigns.
- **CVSS score:** 9.3
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Bohdan Triapitsyn OpenChamber
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'))
- **Tags:** ai_mcp, web_application, javascript

## Description

OpenChamber 1.11.7 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the file-serving endpoints /api/fs/read, /api/fs/stat, and /api/fs/raw that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files by supplying the allowOutsideWorkspace=true query parameter alongside an absolute path, bypassing the workspace boundary check in resolveReadPathFromContext. Attackers can exploit the vacuous isPathWithinRoot guard to read sensitive files such as the JWT signing secret, SSH private keys, API credentials, and environment variables, enabling full authentication bypass by forging session cookies on password-protected deployments.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2026-53976](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2026-53976) is a critical path traversal vulnerability in OpenChamber 1.11.7 that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files through file-serving API endpoints. Exploitation can expose JWT signing secrets, SSH private keys, API credentials, and environment variables, potentially enabling forged session cookies, authentication bypass, and full compromise of password-protected deployments.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 25th of August 2026.

CrowdSec network data shows that most actors exploiting CVE-2026-53976 rely on broad, untargeted scans with minimal filtering. The activity is largely automated and opportunistic in nature.
Additionally, according to week-over-week analysis by CrowdSec, exploitation of CVE-2026-53976 is surging. Attack volumes are spiking well above historical norms, indicating widespread and escalating interest from threat actors. CVE-2026-53976 is currently experiencing high visibility and active exploitation across the internet.

Attackers target `/api/fs/read` (and related file-serving endpoints such as `/api/fs/stat` and `/api/fs/raw`) with `allowOutsideWorkspace=true` and an absolute `path` value to bypass workspace restrictions and read arbitrary files. Attempts may request sensitive locations such as `/etc/passwd`, configuration files, credentials, or private keys.

## Timeline

- 2026-08-06: CVE Published. CVE-2026-53976 is published to NVD.
- 2026-08-25: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2026-53976 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2026-08-28: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2026-53976 for the first time.

## References

- https://github.com/openchamber/openchamber
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/openchamber-path-traversal-file-read-via-allowoutsideworkspace-parameter
- https://github.com/openchamber/openchamber/commit/f1b9506132faf6c564a2694c7f33b94421a49b4a
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-53976.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2026-53976) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2026-53976. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.