# CVE-2026-62965: SABnzbd: Orphan-job path traversal permits arbitrary file deletion

Status: published. Published: 2026-10-30. Updated: 2026-11-05.

SABnzbd is an open source automated Usenet download tool. Prior to 5.1.0Beta3, orphan-job management in `sabnzbd/api.py` accepts the user-controlled `value` parameter without path confinement before `os.path.join()` with `download_dir`. An absolute path discards that base directory. An attacker with a valid API key can invoke `mode=status` with `name=delete_orphan` to reach `_api_delete_orphan` and `remove_all()` in `sabnzbd/filesystem.py`, which uses `shutil.rmtree()` for recursive deletion. The advisory also identifies `_api_add_orphan` and `_api_delete_all_orphan` as affected by the path-validation issue, while its concrete arbitrary-deletion trace is through `_api_delete_orphan`. The API key is stored in plaintext in `sabnzbd.ini`. The attacker can delete files or directories writable by the SABnzbd process, including configuration, queue data, and downloads, but system files outside the regular user's ownership are not affected. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.0Beta3.

## Remediation

- fix: SABnzbd: GitHub reports patched versions 5.1.0Beta3. Check the advisory for the affected release branch. (source: GitHub GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5) — https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5

## Affected products and versions

- sabnzbd / sabnzbd: < 5.1.0Beta3 (affected). Source: CNA: GitHub_M
-  / SABnzbd (SABnzbd): <5.1.0Beta3 (affected, GitHub advisory range). Source: GitHub GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 4.0: 7 (high); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N; source: CNA: GitHub_M

- CVSS 4.0: 7 (high); CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X; source: NVD: security-advisories@github.com

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.34% as of 2026-11-04; percentile 27.03%

- SSVC: exploitation poc; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-22

## Exploit evidence

- exploit: https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5 (ADP: CISA-ADP)

## References

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5 (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_CONFIRM)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/commit/e3e7fcf361eaebec2d76397b3d27f854f8266410 (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_MISC)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/releases/tag/5.1.0Beta3 (CNA: GitHub_M; x_refsource_MISC)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5 (ADP: CISA-ADP; exploit)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/commit/e3e7fcf361eaebec2d76397b3d27f854f8266410 (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/releases/tag/5.1.0Beta3 (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5 (security-advisories@github.com)

- https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5 (GitHub Security Advisories; advisory)

## Provenance

- CNA: GitHub_M: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-62965; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated 2026-11-05

- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-62965; retrieved 2026-11-03; source updated 2026-11-02

- GitHub Security Advisories: https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5; retrieved 2026-11-03; source updated 2026-07-14

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-62965; retrieved 2026-11-05; source updated Not reported

Revision: a0ac65f5c26de393604a88d20d6505bcfad6fd17a90762d14a41d8161fb633bf

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-62965

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