CVE-2026-21860
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.3
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-67
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-1425
6.3
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
EUVD-2026-1425- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7
6.3
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON .
This was previously reported as https://github.com/pallets/werkzeug/security/advisories/GHSA-hgf8-39gv-g3f2, but the fix failed to account for compound extensions such as CON.txt.html or trailing spaces. It also missed some additional special names.
send_from_directory uses safe_join to safely serve files at user-specified paths under a directory. If the application is running on Windows, and the requested path ends with a special device name, the file will be opened successfully, but reading will hang indefinitely.
- Record
GHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-67
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.3
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/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 - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-67
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2026-21860
5.3
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
ALPINE-CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.3
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Weakness
- CWE-67
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 7 moreShow less
OSVGHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7
6.3
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON .
This was previously reported as https://github.com/pallets/werkzeug/security/advisories/GHSA-hgf8-39gv-g3f2, but the fix failed to account for compound extensions such as CON.txt.html or trailing spaces. It also missed some additional special names.
send_from_directory uses safe_join to safely serve files at user-specified paths under a directory. If the application is running on Windows, and the requested path ends with a special device name, the file will be opened successfully, but reading will hang indefinitely.
- Record
GHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-67
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2026-2044
6.3
Werkzeug safe_join() allows Windows special device names with compound extensions
Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON .
This was previously reported as https://github.com/pallets/werkzeug/security/advisories/GHSA-hgf8-39gv-g3f2, but the fix failed to account for compound extensions such as CON.txt.html or trailing spaces. It also missed some additional special names.
send_from_directory uses safe_join to safely serve files at user-specified paths under a directory. If the application is running on Windows, and the requested path ends with a special device name, the file will be opened successfully, but reading will hang indefinitely.
- Record
PYSEC-2026-2044- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVROOT-APP-PYPI-CVE-2026-21860
5.3
CVE-2026-21860 in rootio-Werkzeug - Patched by Root
Root has patched CVE-2026-21860 in the rootio-Werkzeug package for Root:PyPI. Multiple fixed versions available.
- Record
ROOT-APP-PYPI-CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 3.1
- 5.3 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-21860
6.3
Werkzeug is a comprehensive WSGI web application library. Prior to version 3.1.5, Werkzeug's safe_join function allows path segments with Windows device names that have file extensions or trailing spaces. On Windows, there are special device names such as CON, AUX, etc that are implicitly present and readable in every directory. Windows still accepts them with any file extension, such as CON.txt, or trailing spaces such as CON. This issue has been patched in version 3.1.5.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-21860- CVSS 4.0
- 6.3 Medium
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVCLSA-2026-1789452203 No score
TuxCare security update for werkzeug (2 CVEs)
TuxCare rebuilt werkzeug to address 2 CVEs. Fixed in 1.0.1.post6+tuxcare.
- Record
CLSA-2026-1789452203- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVCLSA-2026-1789452814 No score
TuxCare security update for werkzeug (3 CVEs)
TuxCare rebuilt werkzeug to address 3 CVEs. Fixed in 2.2.3.post5+tuxcare.
- Record
CLSA-2026-1789452814- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVCLSA-2026-1789453348 No score
TuxCare security update for werkzeug (4 CVEs)
TuxCare rebuilt werkzeug to address 4 CVEs. Fixed in 2.3.8.post3+tuxcare.
- Record
CLSA-2026-1789453348- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
werkzeugPyPI |
before 3.1.5 | 3.1.5 |
py3-werkzeugAlpine:v3.24 |
before 3.1.5-r0 | 3.1.5-r0 |
werkzeugTuxCare:PyPI From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
1.0.1 up to 1.0.1.post6+tuxcare, plus listed versions 1.0.1.post1+tuxcare1.0.1.post2+tuxcare1.0.1.post3+tuxcare1.0.1.post4+tuxcare1.0.1.post5+tuxcare |
1.0.1.post6+tuxcare |
werkzeugTuxCare:PyPI From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
2.2.3 up to 2.2.3.post5+tuxcare, plus listed versions 2.2.3.post1+tuxcare2.2.3.post3+tuxcare2.2.3.post4+tuxcare |
2.2.3.post5+tuxcare |
werkzeugTuxCare:PyPI From an advisory covering 4 CVEs |
2.3.8 up to 2.3.8.post3+tuxcare, plus listed versions 2.3.8.post1+tuxcare2.3.8.post2+tuxcare |
2.3.8.post3+tuxcare |
werkzeugPyPI |
before 3.1.5, plus listed versions 0.10.100.10.10.10.20.10.3 Show 45 moreShow less0.10.40.110.11.10.11.100.11.110.11.120.11.130.11.140.11.150.11.20.11.30.11.40.11.50.11.60.11.70.11.80.11.90.120.12.10.12.20.130.140.14.10.15.00.15.10.15.20.15.30.15.40.15.50.15.60.16.00.16.10.20.30.3.10.40.4.10.50.5.10.60.6.10.6.20.70.7.10.7.2 |
3.1.5 |
rootio-WerkzeugRoot:PyPI |
before 3.1.3+root.io.3 | 3.1.3+root.io.33.1.3+root.io.43.1.0+root.io.1 |
WerkzeugRoot:PyPI |
before 3.1.3+aikido.4 | 3.1.3+aikido.4 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| affected | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-21860 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.3) in Pallets Werkzeug, published January 8, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.47%, the 41st percentile. Fixed in werkzeug 3.1.5.
References
github.com/pallets/werkzeug/security/advisories/GHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7
github.com/pallets/werkzeug/commit/7ae1d254e04a0c33e241ac1cca4783ce6c875ca3
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-21860
github.com/advisories/GHSA-87hc-h4r5-73f7
security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2026-21860
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/21xxx/CVE-2026-21860.json
Left out here: 52 versions. The JSON record has them.