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Fencer Vulns
critical 9.1

CVE-2023-50731 json

MindsDB has arbitrary file write in file.py

published 2023-12-15 2 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also GHSA-j8w6-2r9h-cxhj , PYSEC-2023-279 , EUVD-2023-0150

cvss
9.1
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
1.0%
EPSS 1.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 62%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

MindsDB is a SQL Server for artificial intelligence. Prior to version 23.11.4.1, the `put` method in `mindsdb/mindsdb/api/http/namespaces/file.py` does not validate the user-controlled name value, which is used in a temporary file name, which is afterwards opened for writing on lines 122-125, which leads to path injection. Later in the method, the temporary directory is deleted on line 151, but since we can write outside of the directory using the path injection vulnerability, the potentially dangerous file is not deleted. Arbitrary file contents can be written due to `f.write(chunk)` on line 125. Mindsdb does check later on line 149 in the `save_file` method in `file-controller.py` which calls the `_handle_source` method in `file_handler.py` if a file is of one of the types `csv`, `json`, `parquet`, `xls`, or `xlsx`. However, since the check happens after the file has already been written, the files will still exist (and will not be removed due to the path injection described earlier), just the `_handle_source` method will return an error. The same user-controlled source source is used also in another path injection sink on line 138. This leads to another path injection, which allows an attacker to delete any `zip` or `tar.gz` files on the server.

Patch / fix

  • pypi mindsdb 23.11.4.1
  • mindsdb mindsdb 23.11.4.1

Exploit prediction

0.98% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 62% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • securitylab.github.com https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-182_GHSL-2023-184_mindsdb_mindsdb/ referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 9.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 9.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
OSV 3.1 9.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
GitHub 3.1 9.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
pypi mindsdb
<23.11.4.1
23.11.4.1

Affected products

  • mindsdb mindsdb

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-918 Server-Side Request Forgery
  • CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.