CVE-2026-42601 Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

CVE-2026-42601
Vulnerability Scoring

9.8
/10
Critical Risk

As a catastrophic security flaw, CVE-2026-42601 has severe implications, demanding immediate intervention.

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low
    Exploits can be performed without significant complexity or special conditions.
  • Attack Vector: Network
    Vulnerability is exploitable over a network without physical access.
  • Privileges Required: None
    No privileges are required for exploitation.
  • Scope: Unchanged
    Exploit remains within the originally vulnerable component.
  • User Interaction: None
    No user interaction is necessary for exploitation.

CVE-2026-42601 Details

Status: Analyzed

Last updated: 🕠 14 May 2026, 17:36 UTC
Originally published on: 🕗 09 May 2026, 20:16 UTC

Time between publication and last update: 4 days

CVSS Release: version 3

CVSS3 Source

nvd@nist.gov

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVE-2026-42601 Vulnerability Summary

CVE-2026-42601: ArchiveBox is an open source self-hosted web archiving system. In versions 0.8.6rc0 and prior, the /add/ endpoint (AddView in core/views.py) accepts a config JSON field that gets merged into the crawl config without validation. This config is exported as environment variables when archive plugins run, allowing injection of arbitrary tool arguments to achieve RCE. At time of publication, there are no publicly available patches.

Assessing the Risk of CVE-2026-42601

Access Complexity Graph

The exploitability of CVE-2026-42601 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).

Exploitability Analysis for CVE-2026-42601

With low attack complexity and no required privileges, CVE-2026-42601 is an easy target for cybercriminals. Organizations should prioritize immediate mitigation measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Understanding AC and PR

A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.

Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.

Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.

CVSS Score Breakdown Chart

Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2026-42601, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.

CIA Impact Analysis

Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2026-42601, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.

  • Confidentiality: High
    Exploiting CVE-2026-42601 can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, severely compromising data privacy.
  • Integrity: High
    CVE-2026-42601 could allow unauthorized modifications to data, potentially affecting system reliability and trust.
  • Availability: High
    CVE-2026-42601 can disrupt system operations, potentially causing complete denial of service (DoS).

CVE-2026-42601 References

External References

CWE Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-88

CAPEC Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification

  • Parameter Injection CAPEC-137 An adversary manipulates the content of request parameters for the purpose of undermining the security of the target. Some parameter encodings use text characters as separators. For example, parameters in a HTTP GET message are encoded as name-value pairs separated by an ampersand (&). If an attacker can supply text strings that are used to fill in these parameters, then they can inject special characters used in the encoding scheme to add or modify parameters. For example, if user input is fed directly into an HTTP GET request and the user provides the value "myInput&new_param=myValue", then the input parameter is set to myInput, but a new parameter (new_param) is also added with a value of myValue. This can significantly change the meaning of the query that is processed by the server. Any encoding scheme where parameters are identified and separated by text characters is potentially vulnerable to this attack - the HTTP GET encoding used above is just one example.
  • Flash Parameter Injection CAPEC-174 An adversary takes advantage of improper data validation to inject malicious global parameters into a Flash file embedded within an HTML document. Flash files can leverage user-submitted data to configure the Flash document and access the embedding HTML document.
  • Using Meta-characters in E-mail Headers to Inject Malicious Payloads CAPEC-41 This type of attack involves an attacker leveraging meta-characters in email headers to inject improper behavior into email programs. Email software has become increasingly sophisticated and feature-rich. In addition, email applications are ubiquitous and connected directly to the Web making them ideal targets to launch and propagate attacks. As the user demand for new functionality in email applications grows, they become more like browsers with complex rendering and plug in routines. As more email functionality is included and abstracted from the user, this creates opportunities for attackers. Virtually all email applications do not list email header information by default, however the email header contains valuable attacker vectors for the attacker to exploit particularly if the behavior of the email client application is known. Meta-characters are hidden from the user, but can contain scripts, enumerations, probes, and other attacks against the user's system.
  • HTTP Parameter Pollution (HPP) CAPEC-460 An adversary adds duplicate HTTP GET/POST parameters by injecting query string delimiters. Via HPP it may be possible to override existing hardcoded HTTP parameters, modify the application behaviors, access and, potentially exploit, uncontrollable variables, and bypass input validation checkpoints and WAF rules.
  • OS Command Injection CAPEC-88 In this type of an attack, an adversary injects operating system commands into existing application functions. An application that uses untrusted input to build command strings is vulnerable. An adversary can leverage OS command injection in an application to elevate privileges, execute arbitrary commands and compromise the underlying operating system.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.2.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.4.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.0:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.0:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.2:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.2:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.3:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.3:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.4:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.4:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc10:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc10:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc11:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc11:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc12:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc12:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc13:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc13:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc22:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc22:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc23:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc23:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc24:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc24:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc25:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc25:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc26:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc26:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc27:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc27:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc28:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc28:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc29:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc29:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc30:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc30:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc31:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc31:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc32:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc32:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc33:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc33:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc34:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc34:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc35:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc35:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc36:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc36:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc37:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc37:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc38:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc38:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc39:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc39:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc40:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc40:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc41:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc41:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc42:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc42:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc43:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc43:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc44:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc44:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc45:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc45:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc46:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc46:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc47:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc47:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc48:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc48:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc49:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc49:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc50:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc50:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc51:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc51:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc53:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc53:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc9:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.5:rc9:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.6:rc0:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:a:archivebox:archivebox:0.8.6:rc0:*:*:*:*:*:*

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