OpenMRS Module Upload Vulnerable to Path Traversal (Zip Slip)

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS 4.0

9.4 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/ · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2026-40076: 0.85% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 58.31 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Affected Versions version ≤ 2.7.8 (latest version at time of disclosure) https://github.com/openmrs/openmrs-core Impact The endpoint POST /openmrs/ws/rest/v1/module is vulnerable to a path traversal (Zip Slip) attack. An authenticated attacker can upload a crafted .omod archive containing ZIP entries with directory traversal sequences. Upon automatic extraction by the server, the incomplete path validation in WebModuleUtil.startModule() fails to prevent entries such as web/module/../../../../malicious.jsp from being written outside the intended module directory. If the traversal target falls within the web application root (e.g., /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/openmrs/), the attacker achieves arbitrary file write and subsequent Remote Code Execution. Notably, other extraction methods in the same codebase (ModuleUtil.expandJar(), TestInstallUtil.addZippedTestModules()) are properly protected with normalize().startsWith() checks — this vulnerability is an oversight where the same fix was…

Published by the source

4 May 2026, 17:39 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 May 2026, 19:25 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:45 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-78fc-9688-w8xw

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-40076

Advisory: OpenMRS Module Upload Vulnerable to Path Traversal (Zip Slip)
IDs: CVE-2026-40076, GHSA-78fc-9688-w8xw
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-40076 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:45 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.openmrs.web:openmrs-web: affected <= 2.7.8; >= 2.8.0, <= 2.8.5

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.openmrs.web:openmrs-web: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.openmrs.web:openmrs-web.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-78fc-9688-w8xw (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-78fc-9688-w8xw lists affected ranges: Maven org.openmrs.web:openmrs-web >=0 =2.8.0 <=2.8.5)

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