CVE-2026-68548

Description

Algernon is a small self-contained pure-Go web server. Prior to version 1.17.10, Algernon's URL-prefix authorization gate matches its protected prefixes (/admin, /repo, /data) with case-sensitive strings.HasPrefix, while the exact same raw req.URL.Path is later resolved against the filesystem. On case-insensitive filesystems (Windows NTFS — always; macOS APFS/HFS+ — default), a request for /Admin/secret.lua evades every protected-prefix check, falls through to the public-prefix accept branch, and then resolves on disk to admin/secret.lua. The result is an unauthenticated bypass of the /admin, /repo, and /data authorization boundary, enabling read (and, for Lua files, execution) of protected content. The permission system is active in the default configuration. This issue has been patched in version 1.17.10.

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

• 9.4CVSS 3.1, Criticalfrom the CNA (GitHub_M)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

No explicit remediation statement is available on this page yet. Consult the original record and vendor references before choosing a fix.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

Timeline

1. 12 Nov 2026 Published

Weakness

• CWE-178
• CWE-863

References

• https://github.com/xyproto/algernon/security/advisories/GHSA-vm84-8c4p-64hxx_refsource_CONFIRM
• https://github.com/xyproto/algernon/releases/tag/v1.17.10x_refsource_MISC