CVE-2026-49441: Wazuh : peer-controlled metadata key in process_files_from_worker non-merged branch allows arbitrary file write under WAZUH_PATH on Wazuh manager

Severity: critical (CVSS 9.1 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.8% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: yes
Published: 2026-08-19 · updated 2026-10-26
Weakness: CWE-73

Description

Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. From 4.3.0 until 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3, the non-merged branch of process_files_from_worker() in framework/wazuh/core/cluster/master.py trusts a peer-controlled file_path key from files_metadata.json. The destination is joined to WAZUH_PATH without proving that it remains inside the directory selected by cluster_item_key. A cluster peer holding the shared Fernet key can upload a crafted extra-valid archive and overwrite security-sensitive files such as /var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf. Replacing ossec.conf can configure root-executed commands and lead to code execution after a service reload. This issue is fixed in versions 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3.

Affected products

wazuh: from 4.3.0 before 4.14.6; 5.0.0-beta1, 5.0.0-beta2 — fixed in 4.14.6

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: wazuh 4.14.6. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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