CVE-2026-24053: Claude Code Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24053 Overview

CVE-2026-24053 is a directory traversal vulnerability in Claude Code, an agentic coding tool developed by Anthropic. Prior to version 2.0.74, a Bash command validation flaw in parsing ZSH clobber syntax allowed attackers to bypass directory restrictions and write files outside the current working directory without user permission prompts. This vulnerability is classified as CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory).

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to write arbitrary files outside the intended working directory, potentially leading to code execution, configuration tampering, or sensitive data modification on the target system.

Affected Products

• Claude Code versions prior to 2.0.74
• Systems running ZSH shell environments
• Development environments with untrusted content in Claude Code context windows

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-03 - CVE-2026-24053 published to NVD
• 2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24053

Vulnerability Analysis

This path traversal vulnerability exists due to improper validation of Bash commands when processing ZSH-specific clobber syntax. The ZSH shell includes redirection operators that differ from standard Bash behavior, and Claude Code's command validation logic failed to properly account for these differences. When a user operates Claude Code within a ZSH environment, the tool's security controls designed to restrict file operations to the current working directory can be circumvented.

The exploitation requires two conditions: the target user must be running ZSH as their shell, and an attacker must be able to inject untrusted content into a Claude Code context window. This could occur through malicious code repositories, tainted documentation, or other sources of untrusted input that Claude Code processes during its agentic operations.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from insufficient input validation in the Bash command parsing logic. Claude Code implements directory restrictions to prevent file writes outside the current working directory, but the validation routine did not properly handle ZSH's clobber syntax (>| and >! operators). These operators in ZSH force file overwrites even when the noclobber option is set, and the path parsing logic failed to correctly extract and validate destination paths when these operators were used in conjunction with path traversal sequences.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-accessible and requires user interaction. An attacker must craft malicious content containing specially formatted ZSH commands with path traversal sequences. When this content is processed by Claude Code in a ZSH environment, the directory restriction bypass allows writing files to arbitrary locations accessible by the user running Claude Code.

The attack flow involves:

1. Crafting content with ZSH clobber syntax combined with directory traversal patterns
2. Getting the target to load this content into a Claude Code context window
3. Claude Code's command validation fails to detect the directory escape
4. Files are written outside the intended working directory without permission prompts

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24053

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected file modifications outside the Claude Code working directory
• Shell history entries containing ZSH clobber operators (>|, >!) with path traversal sequences
• File system events showing writes to sensitive directories during Claude Code sessions

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for file write operations originating from Claude Code processes that target paths outside the designated working directory
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical system directories and configuration files
• Review shell history and Claude Code logs for suspicious redirection patterns containing ../ sequences

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable enhanced logging for Claude Code operations in ZSH environments
• Deploy endpoint detection rules that alert on path traversal patterns in command execution
• Implement SentinelOne Singularity Platform behavioral AI to detect anomalous file system access patterns from development tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24053

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Claude Code to version 2.0.74 or later immediately
• Review file systems for any unauthorized modifications that may have occurred prior to patching
• Audit Claude Code context windows and remove any untrusted content sources

Patch Information

Anthropic has addressed this vulnerability in Claude Code version 2.0.74. The fix implements proper validation of ZSH-specific shell syntax to ensure directory restrictions are enforced regardless of the shell environment. Users should update immediately via their standard package management process.

For additional details, see the GitHub Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• Temporarily switch to Bash shell when using Claude Code versions prior to 2.0.74
• Restrict Claude Code usage to trusted codebases and content sources only
• Implement file system access controls to limit write permissions for the user running Claude Code

# Verify Claude Code version
claude --version

# Upgrade Claude Code to patched version
npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Verify upgrade was successful
claude --version | grep -E "2\.0\.(7[4-9]|[8-9][0-9]|[0-9]{3,})"