CVE-2026-107716: Banks Symlink Traversal And Arbitrary File Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-556j-vv39-8rqv",
  "modified" : "2026-10-08T22:10:07Z",
  "published" : "2026-10-08T22:10:07Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2026-107716" ],
  "summary" : "Banks: Symlink traversal and arbitrary file disclosure/overwrite in DirectoryPromptRegistry",
  "details" : "### Summary\nIn `banks.registries.DirectoryPromptRegistry`, prompt file paths and the index file (`index.json`) do not refuse symbolic links. When a prompt directory contains or accepts untrusted files (e.g. unpacked archives, shared repositories, or multi-tenant folders), symbolic links pointing outside the registry root can be used to disclose arbitrary files via `_scan()` / `get()` or overwrite arbitrary files via `set()` / `_save()`.\n\n### Details\nFollowing PR #77, `DirectoryPromptRegistry` validates path resolution for prompt names. However:\n1. `self._index_path` (`index.json`) is not checked for symbolic links. A symlink pointing to an external target (e.g. a configuration file) will be overwritten by `_save()` upon `reg.set()`, or read via `_load()`.\n2. In `_scan()`, discovered `.jinja` files are opened and indexed without checking if `path.is_symlink()` or if the resolved path escapes the registry root. A symlink pointing to a sensitive file outside the root is read and indexed.\n3. In `set()`, `prompt_file.write_text(...)` is called without checking if `prompt_file` is an existing symbolic link pointing outside the root.\n\n### Impact\nArbitrary file disclosure (CWE-59 / CWE-200) and arbitrary file overwrite (CWE-59) in applications where prompt directories can be influenced by untrusted users or extracted from archives.\n\n### Proof of Concept\n```python\nimport os\nfrom pathlib import Path\nfrom banks.registries.directory import DirectoryPromptRegistry, DEFAULT_INDEX_NAME\nfrom banks.prompt import Prompt\n\n# Disclose external file via symlink in prompt directory\nreg_dir = Path(\"/tmp/registry\")\nreg_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)\nsecret = Path(\"/tmp/secret.txt\")\nsecret.write_text(\"SECRET_API_TOKEN\")\n\nos.symlink(secret, reg_dir / \"leak.0.jinja\")\nreg = DirectoryPromptRegistry(reg_dir, force_reindex=True)\nprint(\"Disclosed content:\", reg.get(name=\"leak\", version=\"0\").raw)\n\n# Overwrite external file via symlink index\ntarget = Path(\"/tmp/target.conf\")\ntarget.write_text(\"ORIGINAL\")\n(reg_dir / DEFAULT_INDEX_NAME).unlink(missing_ok=True)\nos.symlink(target, reg_dir / DEFAULT_INDEX_NAME)\nreg.set(prompt=Prompt(\"pwn\", name=\"test\", version=\"1\"))\nprint(\"Target overwritten:\", target.read_text())\n```\n\n### Remediation\n1. In `_validate_index_path()`: verify `_index_path` is not a symlink and resolves within `_path`.\n2. In `_scan()`: reject `path.is_symlink()` and check `path.resolve().is_relative_to(root)`.\n3. In `set()`: reject existing symbolic links before writing.\n\nA tested fix and regression tests have been prepared and pushed to:\nhttps://github.com/jankesec/banks/tree/fix-directory-registry-symlinks-and-nesting",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "PyPI",
      "name" : "banks"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.5.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 2.5.0"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/masci/banks/security/advisories/GHSA-556j-vv39-8rqv"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/masci/banks/pull/79"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/masci/banks/commit/23ed13e50b4e217693fa5f9c30943fac8a41582f"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/masci/banks"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/masci/banks/releases/tag/v2.5.1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22", "CWE-59" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2026-10-08T22:10:07Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}