CVE-2026-42249

Published: Apr 29, 2026 Last Modified: Apr 30, 2026
ExploitDB:
Other exploit source:
Google Dorks:
HIGH 7,7
Attack Vector: adjacent
Attack Complexity: high
Privileges Required: none
User Interaction: none
Confidentiality: N/A
Integrity: N/A
Availability: N/A

Description

AI Translation Available

Ollama for Windows contains a Remote Code Execution vulnerability in its update mechanism due to improper handling of attacker‑controlled HTTP response headers. When downloading updates, the application constructs local file paths using values derived from HTTP headers without validation. These values are passed directly to filepath.Join, allowing path traversal sequences (../) to be resolved and enabling files to be written outside the intended update staging directory.
An attacker who can influence update responses can exploit this flaw to write arbitrary executables to attacker‑chosen locations accessible to the current user, including the Windows Startup directory. This allows execution of arbitrary executables.

Critically, when chained with CVE‑2026‑42248 (Missing Signature Verification for Updates), an attacker can deliver malicious payloads that are written to sensitive locations and executed automatically. Because Ollama for Windows performs silent automatic updates and executes staged binaries without user interaction, this results in automatic and persistent code execution without user awareness.

Maintainers of this project were notified early about this vulnerability, but didn't respond with the details of vulnerability or vulnerable version range. Versions from 0.12.10 to 0.17.5 were tested and confirmed as vulnerable, other versions were not tested but might also be vulnerable.

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System)

Trend Analysis

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System)

Prevede la probabilità di sfruttamento basata su intelligence sulle minacce e sulle caratteristiche della vulnerabilità.

EPSS Score
0,0003
Percentile
0,1th
Updated

EPSS Score Trend (Last 2 Days)

22

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Stable
Common Consequences
Security Scopes Affected:
Integrity Confidentiality Availability
Potential Impacts:
Execute Unauthorized Code Or Commands Modify Files Or Directories Read Files Or Directories Dos: Crash, Exit, Or Restart
Applicable Platforms
Technologies: AI/ML
View CWE Details
494

Download of Code Without Integrity Check

Draft
Common Consequences
Security Scopes Affected:
Integrity Availability Confidentiality Other
Potential Impacts:
Execute Unauthorized Code Or Commands Alter Execution Logic Other
Applicable Platforms
All platforms may be affected
View CWE Details
https://cert.pl/en/posts/2026/04/CVE-2026-42248/
https://ollama.com/