CVE-2024-1873 is a critical (CVSS 9.1) path traversal in parisneo lollms-webui, seen at commit a9d16b0. The select_database endpoint accepts absolute paths. An attacker can create directories anywhere the app can write and cause denial of service or data loss. Update to a build that includes the fix commit.
What's affected
parisneo/lollms-webui, reported at version a9d16b0, which is a commit identifier and not a release number. The record lists the product with no version bounds.
The description says an exposed /select_database endpoint handles file paths improperly and lets attackers give absolute paths when working with the DiscussionsDB instance. That allows them to create directories anywhere on the system where the application has permissions. By creating directories named after critical files, such as the HTTPS certificate files, an attacker can make the server fail to start. The attacker can also change the database path so that client data keeps moving to an attacker chosen location, scattering it across the filesystem. The weakness is CWE-22, path traversal.
The record lists a fix commit, 02e829b, in the project repository and a huntr bounty page. I could not retrieve the huntr page, so I cannot confirm a released version that contains the fix. Check the project's releases for one that includes that commit.
The vector shows impact on integrity and availability, and none on confidentiality, which fits the description of data loss and denial of service.
How to check if you're exposed
If you cloned the repository, check whether your copy includes the fix commit:
git -C /path/to/lollms-webui log --oneline | grep 02e829b
git -C /path/to/lollms-webui merge-base --is-ancestor 02e829b HEAD && echo "fix present"
If the second command prints the message, your checkout includes the fix commit. If it prints nothing, update.
If you run it in a container, rebuild from a current source. Also check who can reach the web interface. A lollms-webui instance that listens on all interfaces and is reachable from other machines, or the internet, is far more exposed than one bound to localhost.
What to do now
- Find every lollms-webui instance you run and note whether it is reachable from outside the machine.
- Update to a build that contains commit 02e829b and restart the service.
- Bind the web interface to localhost or place it behind a reverse proxy with authentication.
- Run it as a dedicated low privilege user, so a directory creation bug cannot touch certificates or system files.
- Check the data directory for unexpected folders and confirm your discussion database is where it should be.
Why it matters
Path traversal bugs happen when a program lets an outside value decide a file system location without constraining it. Here the endpoint takes a path and uses it as is. A safe design resolves the path against a fixed base directory and rejects anything that falls outside it.
The reported effects are denial of service and data loss rather than data theft. Creating a directory with the same name as a needed certificate file stops the server from starting, which is easy to cause and tedious to diagnose. Moving the database location makes new data land somewhere else.
Self hosted AI front ends are often started casually on a laptop or a server and left running. Without authentication, that leaves tools like this open to anyone on the network. The record's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities flag is false.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Quick check
Is there a released version with the fix?
The record lists a fix commit, 02e829b, but I could not confirm a release number. Check the project releases for one that includes it.
Does the attacker need to log in?
The vector lists no privilege requirement, so assume an unauthenticated network attacker can reach the endpoint.
Sources
- NVD record for CVE-2024-1873
- Fix commit listed in the record (not retrieved)
- huntr bounty listed in the record (not retrievable when reviewed)
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
