CVE-2026-41948: Dify Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-41948 Overview

CVE-2026-41948 is a path traversal vulnerability [CWE-23] affecting Dify version 1.14.1 and prior. The flaw allows authenticated users to manipulate requests forwarded to the Plugin Daemon's internal REST API. Insufficient URL path sanitization lets attackers traverse out of their authorized tenant path using unencoded dot sequences in task identifiers or manipulated filename parameters. Successful exploitation grants access to internal endpoints such as debug interfaces, requiring only knowledge of the victim tenant's UUID. Dify Cloud allows unauthenticated free self-registration, making account creation trivially accessible to any attacker.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can cross tenant boundaries and reach internal Plugin Daemon endpoints, exposing debug interfaces and sensitive cross-tenant data.

Affected Products

• Dify versions 1.14.1 and prior
• Dify Cloud (self-hosted and managed deployments)
• Dify Plugin Daemon internal REST API

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-05-18 - CVE-2026-41948 published to NVD
• 2026-05-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-41948

Vulnerability Analysis

Dify is an open-source LLM application development platform that uses a Plugin Daemon to manage extensions. The platform exposes an internal REST API that the main application proxies on behalf of authenticated tenant users. The proxy layer fails to sanitize URL path components before forwarding requests to the Plugin Daemon.

An authenticated user can submit task identifiers or filename parameters containing unencoded dot sequences such as ../. The forwarded request escapes the intended tenant-scoped path and resolves to arbitrary internal endpoints. Attackers can reach debug interfaces and other privileged endpoints that should not be exposed to tenant traffic.

Dify Cloud accepts free self-registration without identity verification. Any attacker can create an account and immediately begin probing the vulnerable endpoints. Cross-tenant access requires only the target tenant's UUID.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory in the request proxy logic between the Dify application and the Plugin Daemon. Path components supplied by users are passed through without normalization or validation against the tenant boundary. The Plugin Daemon trusts the inbound path, treating proxy requests as already authorized.

Attack Vector

The attack is performed remotely over the network. The attacker registers a Dify Cloud account, obtains the victim tenant UUID, and issues HTTP requests containing crafted task identifiers or filename parameters. Path traversal sequences in those parameters redirect the request to internal Plugin Daemon endpoints, including debug interfaces. Refer to the VulnCheck Path Traversal Advisory and the Huntr Bug Bounty Report for endpoint-level technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-41948

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to Dify endpoints containing unencoded .. or ../ sequences in task identifier or filename parameters
• Plugin Daemon access logs showing requests to debug or internal endpoints from tenant-scoped proxy routes
• Authentication events from newly registered Dify Cloud accounts immediately followed by cross-tenant resource references

Detection Strategies

• Inspect web server and reverse proxy logs for dot-segment patterns in Dify API paths, particularly within plugin task and file routes
• Correlate Plugin Daemon internal endpoint access against the tenant context recorded in upstream authentication logs to identify boundary violations
• Alert on enumeration patterns where a single account references multiple distinct tenant UUIDs in a short time window

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward Dify application, Plugin Daemon, and ingress logs to a centralized SIEM for retention and correlation
• Baseline normal tenant-to-endpoint mappings and alert on deviations that indicate cross-tenant access
• Monitor account creation rates on Dify Cloud deployments and flag accounts that query internal API paths shortly after registration

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-41948

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Dify to a release later than 1.14.1 that incorporates the fix from the Dify pull request #35796
• Audit Plugin Daemon access logs for traversal attempts and unauthorized internal endpoint access
• Restrict network access to the Plugin Daemon so that only the Dify application can reach it, and block direct external exposure

Patch Information

The maintainers addressed the vulnerability through changes merged in Dify pull request #35796. The fix adds URL path sanitization to the proxy layer that forwards requests to the Plugin Daemon's internal REST API. Operators running self-hosted Dify deployments at version 1.14.1 or earlier must upgrade to a patched release.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy rule that rejects requests containing .., %2e%2e, or encoded path traversal sequences in Dify API paths
• Disable open self-registration on Dify Cloud deployments where possible to increase the cost of account-based exploitation
• Segment the Plugin Daemon onto an internal network with strict firewall rules limiting source IPs to the Dify application tier

# Configuration example: NGINX rule blocking traversal sequences in Dify API paths
location /console/api/ {
    if ($request_uri ~* "(\.\.|%2e%2e|%2E%2E)") {
        return 400;
    }
    proxy_pass http://dify-app-upstream;
}