CVE-2026-121546
ruTorrent before 5.3.20 Path Traversal via datadir Plugin Symlink Following
Description
ruTorrent before 5.3.20 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the datadir plugin that allows authenticated users to escape the topDirectory jail because correctDirectory() does not resolve symbolic links. Attackers can submit a datadir path through a symlink under their top directory to create directories and move torrent data to locations writable by the web server or rtorrent.
INFO
Published Date :
Nov. 3, 2026, 4:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Nov. 3, 2026, 4:30 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
Affected Products
The following products are affected by CVE-2026-121546
vulnerability.
Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the
products
that
are
affected, the information is not represented in the table below.
No affected product recoded yet
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | 83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10 | ||||
| CVSS 3.1 | MEDIUM | [email protected] | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | MEDIUM | 83251b91-4cc7-4094-a5c7-464a1b83ea10 | ||||
| CVSS 4.0 | MEDIUM | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update ruTorrent to version 5.3.20 or later.
- Verify symlink resolution is disabled in the datadir plugin.
- Review directory permissions for sensitive locations.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-121546.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-121546 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-121546
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-121546 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-121546 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Nov. 03, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Description ruTorrent before 5.3.20 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the datadir plugin that allows authenticated users to escape the topDirectory jail because correctDirectory() does not resolve symbolic links. Attackers can submit a datadir path through a symlink under their top directory to create directories and move torrent data to locations writable by the web server or rtorrent. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L Added CWE CWE-59 Added Affected New affected value received. <a href="https://github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/blob/main/cves/2026/121xxx/CVE-2026-121546.json">CVE-2026-121546</a> Added Reference https://github.com/Novik/ruTorrent Added Reference https://github.com/Novik/ruTorrent/blob/v5.3.19/php/settings.php#L526-L541 Added Reference https://github.com/Novik/ruTorrent/blob/v5.3.19/plugins/datadir/action.php#L60 Added Reference https://github.com/Novik/ruTorrent/commit/2059ff12464b2ce14fd0f53df8d6b19fb6b8a5eb Added Reference https://github.com/Novik/ruTorrent/issues/3474 Added Reference https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/rutorrent-before-5.3.20-path-traversal-via-datadir-plugin-symlink-following