CVE-2026-40518

HIGH
Published Apr 17, 2026 Modified Apr 17, 2026 CWE-22

Description

ByteDance DeerFlow before commit 2176b2b contains a path traversal and arbitrary file write vulnerability in bootstrap-mode custom-agent creation where the agent name validation is bypassed. Attackers can supply traversal-style values or absolute paths as the agent name to influence directory creation and write files outside the intended custom-agent directory, potentially achieving arbitrary file write on the system subject to filesystem permissions.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

7.1
HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0003
Probability of exploitation
0.09%
Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-22 Path Traversal

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-40518? +
ByteDance DeerFlow before commit 2176b2b contains a path traversal and arbitrary file write vulnerability in bootstrap-mode custom-agent creation where the agent name validation is bypassed. Attackers can supply traversal-style values or absolute paths as the agent name to influence directory creation and write files outside the intended custom-agent directory, potentially achieving arbitrary file write on the system subject to filesystem permissions. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2026-40518? +
CVE-2026-40518 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.1 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching. The EPSS score is 0.0003, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.
How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-40518? +
You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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