Erlang OTP (inets) Auth Bypass via script_alias (v17.0-28.4.2)
CVE-2026-28808 Published on April 7, 2026
ScriptAlias CGI targets bypass directory auth in inets httpd (mod_auth vs mod_cgi path mismatch)
Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in Erlang OTP (inets modules) allows unauthenticated access to CGI scripts protected by directory rules when served via script_alias.
When script_alias maps a URL prefix to a directory outside DocumentRoot, mod_auth evaluates directory-based access controls against the DocumentRoot-relative path while mod_cgi executes the script at the ScriptAlias-resolved path. This path mismatch allows unauthenticated access to CGI scripts that directory rules were meant to protect.
This vulnerability is associated with program files lib/inets/src/http_server/mod_alias.erl, lib/inets/src/http_server/mod_auth.erl, and lib/inets/src/http_server/mod_cgi.erl.
This issue affects OTP from OTP 17.0 before OTP 28.4.2, OTP 27.3.4.10 and OTP 26.2.5.19, corresponding to inets from 5.10 before 9.6.2, 9.3.2.4 and 9.1.0.6.
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-28808 is exploitable with network access, and does not require authorization privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is consided to have a high level of attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have a high impact on confidentiality and integrity, and no impact on availability.
Weakness Types
What is an AuthZ Vulnerability?
The software performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check. This allows attackers to bypass intended access restrictions.
CVE-2026-28808 has been classified to as an AuthZ vulnerability or weakness.
Incorrect Behavior Order: Authorization Before Parsing and Canonicalization
If a web server does not fully parse requested URLs before it examines them for authorization, it may be possible for an attacker to bypass authorization protection. For instance, the character strings /./ and / both mean current directory. If /SomeDirectory is a protected directory and an attacker requests /./SomeDirectory, the attacker may be able to gain access to the resource if /./ is not converted to / before the authorization check is performed.
Products Associated with CVE-2026-28808
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Affected Versions
Erlang OTP:- Version 5.10 and below * is affected.
- Version 17.0 and below * is affected.
- Version 07b8f441ca711f9812fad9e9115bab3c3aa92f79 and below * is affected.
Exploit Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.