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Joomla\!Application · Joomla

CVE-2026-40384

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-05-26
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.4.6 / 6.1.1 or later.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
An improper validation of the search parameter of the com_media files API endpoint leads to a path traversal vulnerability.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The com_media component's files API endpoint fails to properly validate the search parameter, allowing attackers to inject directory traversal sequences (such as '../') to access files outside the intended media directory. This improper input validation enables unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files on the server.

MitigationImplement strict input validation and sanitization on the search parameter to reject path traversal sequences, and restrict file access to only the designated media directory.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Joomla\!Application
Affected:>= 4.0.0, < 5.4.6>= 6.0.0, < 6.1.1

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify Joomla version
    Check the installed Joomla version by reviewing the version file at /libraries/src/Version.php or accessing the administrator dashboard footer which displays the version number. Alternatively, check the manifest.xml file in the root directory.
    Affected if The installed version is >= 4.0.0 and < 5.4.6, or >= 6.0.0 and < 6.1.1
  2. Confirm com_media component is enabled
    Log into the Joomla administrator panel and navigate to Content > Media (or check the components table in the database for com_media entry with enabled=1).
    Affected if The com_media component is installed and enabled in the Joomla instance
  3. Verify files API endpoint is accessible
    Make an HTTP GET request to the Joomla API endpoint at /api/index.php/v1/files?path=/ (using appropriate API authentication token if required) and check if the endpoint returns a valid JSON response listing media files.
    Affected if The files API endpoint is accessible and returns file listing data
  4. Test search parameter for path traversal
    Send a request to /api/index.php/v1/files?search=../ or /api/index.php/v1/files?path=../ and examine whether the response returns files from directories outside the intended media folder (e.g., configuration.php or files from parent directories).
    Affected if The search or path parameter accepts traversal sequences and returns files from outside the media directory

You are affected if your Joomla version falls within the affected ranges AND the com_media component is enabled AND the files API endpoint accepts path traversal sequences in the search parameter.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.4.6 / 6.1.1 or later
Fixed in 5.4.66.1.1
Interim mitigation

Implement strict input validation and sanitization on the search parameter to reject path traversal sequences, and restrict file access to only the designated media directory.

Recommended fix High confidence

Joomla 5.4.6 or Joomla 6.1.1 (depending on your current major version)

  1. Ensure you have a complete backup of your Joomla site before upgrading
  2. Download Joomla 5.4.6 (if on Joomla 5.x) or Joomla 6.1.1 (if on Joomla 6.x) from the official Joomla downloads page
  3. Upload and install the upgrade package through Joomla's built-in update component (Components > Joomla Update) or via manual installation
  4. Verify the upgrade was successful by checking the Joomla version in the administrator dashboard
  5. Test the com_media files API endpoint to confirm the path traversal vulnerability is patched
  6. Clear any caching mechanisms in place after the upgrade
Caveat Standard Joomla minor version upgrades typically have minimal breaking changes; always test in a staging environment first

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Joomla\! Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
21.0 hours of engineering $3,680
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-40384 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data