Path Traversal in github.com/go-acme/lego/v4 (CVE-2026-40611)
Summary
Path traversal in github.com/go-acme/lego/v4 (CVE-2026-40611). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. Mitigation: upgrade to 4.34.0 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Let's Encrypt client and ACME library written in Go (Lego). Prior to 4.34.0, the webroot HTTP-01 challenge provider in lego is vulnerable to arbitrary file write and deletion via path traversal. A malicious ACME server can supply a crafted challenge token containing ../ sequences, causing lego to write attacker-influenced content to any path writable by the lego process. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.34.0.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-40611 has been found in github.com/go-acme/lego/v4.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 8.8/10.
What to do: upgrade github.com/go-acme/lego/v4 to 4.34.0 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "github.com/go-acme/lego/v4 CVE-2026-40611" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-40611 (github.com/go-acme/lego/v4) — CWE-22 / CVSS v3 8.8
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated
Patched: 4.34.0 — apply immediately
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Path traversal (CWE-22) exists in github.com/go-acme/lego/v4.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of github.com/go-acme/lego/v4.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to 4.34.0.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'github.com/go-acme/lego/v4' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'github.com/go-acme/lego/v4' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
github.com/go-acme/lego/v4を grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Apply patch patch
Upgrade github.com/go-acme/lego/v4 to 4.34.0ステージング環境で 4.34.0 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスを含めること。
-
3Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Fix status by distribution
Fixed packages published by each distribution for this CVE
- Debian DEBIAN-CVE-2026-40611 golang-github-xenolf-lego
- Ubuntu UBUNTU-CVE-2026-40611 golang-github-xenolf-lego
References
- advisory github.com
- advisory access.redhat.com
- advisory access.redhat.com
- advisory github.com
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- report bugzilla.redhat.com
- web security.access.redhat.com