CVE-2026-25231: FileRise Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-25231 Overview

FileRise is a self-hosted web file manager and WebDAV server. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.3.0 allows unauthenticated file read access due to missing access control on the /uploads directory. Files uploaded to this directory can be accessed directly by any user who knows or can guess the file path, without requiring authentication. This broken access control flaw could lead to sensitive data exposure and privacy breaches.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can access any file in the /uploads directory, potentially exposing sensitive documents, credentials, or private user data stored on the FileRise server.

Affected Products

FileRise versions prior to 3.3.0
Self-hosted FileRise WebDAV server deployments
FileRise web file manager installations without access controls on the uploads directory

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-09 - CVE-2026-25231 published to NVD
2026-02-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25231

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper access control (CWE-284) in FileRise's handling of the /uploads directory. The application fails to enforce authentication requirements on files stored in this location, allowing any remote attacker with network access to retrieve uploaded files without valid credentials.

The attack can be carried out over the network without any user interaction or special privileges. An attacker only needs to know or successfully guess the file path to access sensitive content. This is particularly dangerous in environments where FileRise is used to store confidential documents, as the lack of authentication on the uploads directory essentially makes all uploaded content publicly accessible.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper access control implementation where the /uploads directory is served directly without authentication checks. The application fails to validate that requests to this directory come from authenticated users, creating a direct path to sensitive file content.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can directly request files from the /uploads directory using standard HTTP requests. The attack methodology involves:

Identifying a FileRise instance exposed to the network
Constructing requests to the /uploads directory path
Enumerating or guessing file names to access sensitive content
Downloading files without any authentication challenge

Since the vulnerability allows direct file access, attackers may attempt common file names, use directory listing if enabled, or leverage information disclosure from other sources to identify target files.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25231

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual access patterns to the /uploads directory from unauthenticated sessions
High volume of HTTP requests targeting the /uploads path from external IP addresses
Access logs showing successful file retrievals without corresponding authentication events
Requests attempting to enumerate common file names or extensions in the uploads directory

Detection Strategies

Monitor web server access logs for direct requests to /uploads directory paths without authentication tokens
Implement anomaly detection for unusual file access patterns or high-volume requests to the uploads directory
Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and alert on enumeration attempts against the uploads path
Correlate authentication logs with file access logs to identify unauthorized file retrievals

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable detailed access logging for the /uploads directory and all file retrieval operations
Configure alerting for any unauthenticated access attempts to sensitive file storage locations
Implement network monitoring to detect reconnaissance activity targeting FileRise instances
Review access logs regularly for suspicious patterns or unexpected file access from unknown IP addresses

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25231

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade FileRise to version 3.3.0 or later immediately
Restrict network access to FileRise instances to trusted networks only until patching is complete
Review access logs to determine if the vulnerability has been exploited
Audit uploaded files for sensitive content that may have been exposed

Patch Information

The vulnerability is fixed in FileRise version 3.3.0. The patch implements proper access control on the /uploads directory, requiring authentication for file access. Users should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability.

For detailed patch information, see the GitHub Release v3.3.0 and the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-hv99-77cw-hvpr.

Workarounds

Configure web server rules to require authentication for all requests to the /uploads directory
Place the FileRise instance behind a reverse proxy with authentication requirements
Restrict network access to the FileRise server using firewall rules to limit exposure
Disable public network access to FileRise until the patch can be applied

bash

# Example nginx configuration to restrict uploads directory access
location /uploads {
    auth_basic "Restricted Access";
    auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
    # Deny all unauthenticated access
    satisfy all;
}