{
  "id": 11468270,
  "title": "Path filters that do not filter: CVE-2026-57441 and CVE-2026-57442 in MCPVault",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/path-filters-that-do-not-filter-cve-2026-57441-and-cve-2026-57442-in",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-02T15:20:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/bianliang/path-filters-that-do-not-filter-cve-2026-57441-and-cve-2026-57442-in-mcpvault-2h3n"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "MCPVault software restricts which directories a language model can access. Two security advisories have revealed weaknesses in how MCPVault enforces those restrictions. The first, CVE-2026-57441, arises from a case-insensitive string comparison used to determine allowed paths. On a system where file system case differs from the comparison, paths with case variants of restricted directories, such as .git or node_modules, pass through unchecked. Consequently, the MCPVault restriction fails to take effect. The second advisory, CVE-2026-57442, concerns a deny list anchored at the root of the file system tree. This design allows nested restricted directories to bypass the check, as the pattern only matches at the root level. Both advisories underscore the importance of comparing paths after they've been resolved to their absolute, canonical form, rather than using a string-based comparison which can be manipulated by the underlying file system. To mitigate these risks, users should upgrade to the versions specified in the advisories, limit the scope of the boundary, and run the server as a user with restricted privileges. Using read-only mode where available further reduces the potential impact of these vulnerabilities.",
  "summary": "Path filters that do not filter: CVE-2026-57441 and CVE-2026-57442 in MCPVault MCPVault restricts which directories a language model can read. Two advisories describe ways past those restrictions, and both turn on how the code compares a path rather than on a missing check. CVE-2026-57441 carries a CVSS score of 8.4, and CVE-2026-57442 carries 6.9. CVE-2026-57441: the case that a string…",
  "key_points": [
    "Case-insensitive string comparison in MCPVault allows path bypass",
    "Deny list anchored at root enables nested restricted directories to escape check",
    "Upgrade to advisory versions, limit scope, run server with restricted privileges"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}