CVE-2025-58761
Published: 09 September 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-58761 is a high-severity Path Traversal: 'dir/../../filename' (CWE-27) vulnerability in Tautulli Tautulli. Its CVSS base score is 8.6 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 32.4th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Requires validation of the `img` URL parameter to block path traversal sequences like `../`, directly preventing arbitrary file reads from the server's filesystem.
Mandates timely flaw remediation by patching to Tautulli version 2.16.0 or later, comprehensively eliminating the path traversal vulnerability.
Enforces approved authorizations for logical access to system resources, preventing unauthenticated access to sensitive files like `tautulli.db` and `config.ini` outside intended directories.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Path traversal in public-facing Tautulli endpoint enables unauthenticated arbitrary file read (T1005), directly exposing credential files (T1552.001) after initial exploitation of the web app (T1190).
NVD Description
Tautulli is a Python based monitoring and tracking tool for Plex Media Server. The `real_pms_image_proxy` endpoint in Tautulli v2.15.3 and prior is vulnerable to path traversal, allowing unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files from the application server's filesystem. The `real_pms_image_proxy`…
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is used to fetch an image directly from the backing Plex Media Server. The image to be fetched is specified through an `img` URL parameter, which can either be a URL or a file path. There is some validation ensuring that `img` begins with the prefix `interfaces/default/images` in order to be served from the local filesystem. However this can be bypassed by passing an `img` parameter which begins with a valid prefix, and then adjoining path traversal characters in order to reach files outside of intended directories. An attacker can exfiltrate files on the application file system, including the `tautulli.db` SQLite database containing active JWT tokens, as well as the `config.ini` file which contains the hashed admin password, the JWT token secret, and the Plex Media Server token and connection details. If the password is cracked, or if a valid JWT token is present in the database, an unauthenticated attacker can escalate their privileges to obtain administrative control over the application. Version 2.16.0 contains a fix for the issue.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-58761 is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-27) in the `real_pms_image_proxy` endpoint of Tautulli, a Python-based monitoring and tracking tool for Plex Media Server. Affecting versions 2.15.3 and prior, the flaw stems from inadequate validation of the `img` URL parameter, which is intended to fetch images from the Plex Media Server or local filesystem paths starting with the prefix `interfaces/default/images`. Attackers can bypass this check by prepending a valid prefix to path traversal sequences like `../`, enabling access to arbitrary files on the application server's filesystem.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low complexity and no user interaction required (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N). Successful exploitation allows reading sensitive files, such as the `tautulli.db` SQLite database containing active JWT tokens and the `config.ini` file with the hashed admin password, JWT token secret, and Plex Media Server token and connection details. Possession of a valid JWT token or a cracked admin password enables privilege escalation to full administrative control of the Tautulli application.
The GitHub security advisory (GHSA-r732-m675-wj7w) and fixing commit (ec77a70aafc555e1aad0d9981f719d1200c117f1) confirm that Tautulli version 2.16.0 resolves the issue through improved parameter validation. Security practitioners should upgrade to 2.16.0 or later and review exposed Tautulli instances for signs of exploitation, such as anomalous file access logs.
Details
- CWE(s)