# CVE-2026-85706: GitLab - Path Traversal

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2026-85706 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-2026-85706

## 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:** 10.0
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** GitLab
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'))
- **Tags:** scm

## Description

GitLab has remediated an issue in GitLab CE/EE affecting all versions from 18.7 before 18.11.12, 19.0 before 19.0.9, 19.1 before 19.1.8, 19.2 before 19.2.6, and 19.3 before 19.3.2 that, under certain conditions, an unauthenticated user could have read arbitrary files from the GitLab server due to improper path confinement and missing authentication enforcement in the repository commits API.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2026-85706](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2026-85706) is a critical path traversal vulnerability in GitLab CE/EE that, under certain conditions, allows unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from the GitLab server through the repository commits API. Exploitation could expose sensitive configuration data, credentials, source code, and other confidential information, potentially enabling further compromise of connected systems.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 28th of September 2026.

According to CrowdSec data, while opportunistic exploitation dominates, a portion of threat actors trying to exploit CVE-2026-85706 apply basic targeting methods such as port or service detection. This indicates emerging patterns of selective targeting.
CrowdSec data also reveals a clear uptick in attacks involving CVE-2026-85706 over the past week. Activity is above the usual baseline, suggesting growing attention from attackers. This may reflect rising awareness, recent exploit releases, or expanded targeting efforts.

Attackers target GitLab’s `/api/v4/projects/{project-id}/repository/%66iles/` endpoint, using percent-encoding to bypass Workhorse route handling and query parameters such as `file.path` and `file.size` to trigger unauthenticated arbitrary file reads.

## Timeline

- 2026-09-11: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2026-85706 for the first time.
- 2026-09-11: CISA KEV. CVE-2026-85706 is added to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog by CISA.
- 2026-09-12: CVE Published. CVE-2026-85706 is published to NVD.
- 2026-09-14: CISA Remediation Deadline. Expiration of the CISA remediation deadline as described in [BOD 22-01](https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-22-01-reducing-significant-risk-known-exploited-vulnerabilities).
- 2026-09-28: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2026-85706 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.

## References

- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2026-85706
- https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/627748
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-85706.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2026-85706) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2026-85706. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.