Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-66449

Path Traversal in C4Illin Convertx ≤ 0.16.0

Public PoCPath Traversal
Published
16 December 2025
Modified
07 January 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0070 50th percentile
Risk Priority 65 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-66449 is a high-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in C4Illin Convertx. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked at the 50th 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 map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2025-66449 is a vulnerability in ConvertX, a self-hosted online file converter, affecting versions prior to 0.16.0. The issue lies in the `/upload` endpoint, where the upload function directly uses the user-supplied `file.name` without sanitization. This allows arbitrary file writes on the system, including overwriting binaries, which can lead to code execution.

An authenticated user can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network with low attack complexity and no user interaction required. Exploitation enables the attacker to overwrite system binaries with malicious files provided in the upload, achieving full code execution on the server.

The GitHub security advisory GHSA-cpww-gwgc-p72r documents the vulnerability, and version 0.16.0 includes a patch that addresses the lack of file name sanitization. The fixing commit is at https://github.com/C4illin/ConvertX/commit/550f472451755d095cf5802bc91f403e85b7129e, while the vulnerable code appears in src/pages/upload.tsx lines 27-30 at https://github.com/C4illin/ConvertX/blob/4ae2aab66ace7cdcc14c5a16ecaaf2372b9ccbdf/src/pages/upload.tsx#L27-L30.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

ConvertXis a self-hosted online file converter. In versions prior to 0.16.0, the endpoint `/upload` allows an authenticated user to write arbitrary files on the system, overwriting binaries and allowing code execution. The upload function takes `file.name` directly from user supplied…

more

data without doing any sanitization on the name thus allowing for arbitrary file write. This can be used to overwrite system binaries with ones provided from an attacker allowing full code execution. Version 0.16.0 contains a patch for the issue.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1505 Server Software Component Persistence
Adversaries may abuse legitimate extensible development features of servers to establish persistent access to systems.
T1505.003 Web Shell Persistence
Adversaries may backdoor web servers with web shells to establish persistent access to systems.
T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Execution
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2026-24741Same product: C4Illin Convertx
CVE-2026-35174Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2026-26975Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2023-7309Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2026-9102Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2023-28833Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2026-26984Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2020-6754Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2024-6707Shared CWE-22, CWE-434
CVE-2024-13981Shared CWE-22, CWE-434

Affected Assets

c4illin
convertx
≤ 0.16.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2
  • V5.1.1

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Enforces the intended directory access authorizations that path traversal would otherwise bypass.

Input validation directly neutralizes special path elements before pathname construction occurs.

Malicious-code protection at entry points blocks dangerous file types from being accepted and executed.

Least privilege reduces the impact of any unauthorized file access obtained via traversal.

Least functionality restricts the file types and automatic processing capabilities the system will accept.

SC-18 Mobile Code partial match

Mobile-code controls define, authorize, and block unacceptable uploaded code before automatic processing occurs.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices include input validation and path sanitization that eliminate this weakness.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Least-privilege file authorization directly limits damage from externally controlled paths.

PR.PS-05 mostly match
prevents

Restricting execution of unauthorized software directly blocks dangerous uploaded files from running.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened configuration baselines can enforce allowed file types and processing rules.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates input validation and path sanitization that directly prevent path traversal.

prevents

Application security requirements include rules for safe file handling and canonicalization.

prevents

Secure architecture principles require least-privilege file access and directory isolation.

prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe path construction and mandate safe APIs.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files an application may read or write.

References