Path Traversal Leading to Arbitrary File Read, Write and Delete in TinaCMS
Description
Tina is a headless content management system. Prior to 2.1.8, the TinaCMS CLI development server exposes media endpoints that are vulnerable to path traversal, allowing attackers to read and write arbitrary files on the filesystem outside the intended media directory. When running tinacms dev, the CLI starts a local HTTP server (default port 4001) exposing endpoints such as /media/list/*, /media/upload/*, and /media/*. These endpoints process user-controlled path segments using decodeURI() and path.join() without validating that the resolved path remains within the configured media directory. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.1.8.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
TinaCMS CLI dev server before 2.1.8 has a path traversal vulnerability in media endpoints, allowing attackers to read and write arbitrary files.
Vulnerability
CVE-2026-28793 is a path traversal vulnerability in the TinaCMS CLI development server prior to version 2.1.8 [1]. The server (default port 4001) exposes media endpoints such as /media/list/*, /media/upload/*, and /media/*. These endpoints process user-supplied path segments using decodeURI() and path.join() without verifying that the final path stays within the configured media directory, leading to arbitrary file exposure [2].
Exploitation
An attacker who can reach the dev server can send crafted requests with ../ sequences to traverse the filesystem. For example, a GET request to /media/list/../../../etc/passwd reads the password file. Similarly, a POST request to /media/upload/../../../../../../tmp/pwned.txt writes attacker-controlled content to an arbitrary location. DELETE requests also work [2]. No authentication is required because the dev server is intended only for local development but is often exposed unintentionally.
Impact
Successful exploitation allows an attacker to read sensitive files (e.g., environment variables, SSH keys), write or overwrite files anywhere the server process has write access, and potentially achieve remote code execution by overwriting executable scripts or configuration files [2]. The impact is critical in development environments where the server may be accessible from the network.
Mitigation
The vulnerability is fixed in TinaCMS CLI version 2.1.8 [1]. Users should upgrade immediately. If upgrading is not possible, ensure the dev server is bound to localhost only and not exposed to untrusted networks. No workarounds are provided [2].
AI Insight generated on May 18, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
@tinacms/clinpm | < 2.1.8 | 2.1.8 |
Affected products
2- @tinacms/cliv5Range: < 2.1.8
Patches
0No patches discovered yet.
Vulnerability mechanics
AI mechanics synthesis has not run for this CVE yet.
References
3- github.com/advisories/GHSA-2f24-mg4x-534qghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-28793ghsaADVISORY
- github.com/tinacms/tinacms/security/advisories/GHSA-2f24-mg4x-534qghsax_refsource_CONFIRMWEB
News mentions
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