Overview
IBM has disclosed CVE-2026-97677, a high-severity path traversal vulnerability affecting Langflow OSS versions 1.0.0 through 1.12.2. The flaw allows authenticated flow authors to bypass the platform’s local file access isolation safeguard and perform unauthorized file operations.
Vulnerability Details
According to the IBM Security Bulletin, an authenticated flow author could write attacker-controlled file content into any directory writable by the service account. Via a crafted on-disk index, the attacker could also read the contents of arbitrary files accessible to the service process, including configuration files, secrets, or database files stored under the application’s data directory.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory (Path Traversal). IBM assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N, indicating high impact to confidentiality and integrity with no availability impact.
Attack Requirements
The attacker must be authenticated as a flow author within the Langflow OSS platform. No user interaction is required, and the attack complexity is low. The vulnerability can be exploited over the network.
Affected Versions
- IBM Langflow OSS versions 1.0.0 through 1.12.2
Additional Context
The IBM Security Bulletin reveals that Langflow OSS is affected by multiple vulnerabilities beyond CVE-2026-97677. The bulletin lists 17 CVEs in total, involving code-execution restrictions, access controls, sensitive-data handling, file access, and archive processing. Depending on deployment configuration, attackers could execute code, read or modify data without authorization, disclose sensitive information, or cause denial of service.
The specific patch version or mitigation steps for CVE-2026-97677 are not stated in the public sources. Organizations running affected versions should consult the IBM support page for remediation guidance.
Impact Assessment
The ability to read arbitrary files could expose:
- Configuration files containing system settings
- Secrets and credentials stored on disk
- Database files under the application’s data directory
- Other sensitive data accessible to the service process
The write capability allows attackers to modify files in any directory writable by the service account, potentially leading to persistent compromise or privilege escalation.
Recommendations
Organizations using IBM Langflow OSS versions 1.0.0 through 1.12.2 should review the IBM Security Bulletin and apply available patches or mitigations. Until remediation is complete, administrators should review and restrict flow author permissions where possible and monitor for suspicious file access patterns.
