Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory.

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Attack Requirements None

User Interaction Active

Vulnerable System Confidentiality Impact None

Vulnerable System Integrity Impact High

Vulnerable System Availability Impact High

Subsequent System Confidentiality Impact None

Subsequent System Integrity Impact None

Subsequent System Availability Impact None

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact High

Availability Impact High

User Interaction Required

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

No EPSS score available.

Key SSVC decision points have not yet been added.

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions
Axel Download Accelerator Axel unaffected
Version Status Constraints
0 affected ≤ 2.17.14

No data.

No data.

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Project Subscriptions

Vendors Products
Axel Download Accelerator Subscribe
Axel Subscribe
Advisories

No advisories yet.

Fixes

Solution

Apply patch provided by Axel. Will be fixed in 2.17.16 as well

Workaround

No workaround given by the vendor.

References
Link Providers
https://advisories.orangecyberdefense.com/advisories/167 cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/issues/477 cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/milestone/22 cve-icon cve-icon
https://github.com/axel-download-accelerator/axel/pull/483/changes/4e76e1a1dd1c4ea11b445e2c45e4ee257c76314e cve-icon cve-icon
History

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Axel Download Accelerator 2.17.14 and earlier performs URL percent-decoding (http_decode()) on the output filename after the URL has been parsed and the filename component extracted. This allows an attacker to embed %2e%2e%2f (URL-encoded ../) sequences in the URL path. These sequences survive the URL parser intact (they contain no literal / characters) but are decoded into directory traversal sequences before the output file is opened for writing. As a result, a crafted URL can cause axel to write downloaded content to arbitrary filesystem paths relative to the current working directory.
Title Axel Download Accelerator Path Traversal via URL Filename Decoding
First Time appeared Axel Download Accelerator
Axel Download Accelerator axel
Weaknesses CWE-24
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:axel_download_accelerator:axel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Axel Download Accelerator
Axel Download Accelerator axel
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 8.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H'}

cvssV4_0

{'score': 7, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}

Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: OCD

Published:

Updated: 2026-10-28T11:26:59.053Z

Reserved: 2026-10-28T11:13:12.954Z

Link: CVE-2026-118485

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Deferred

Published: 2026-10-28T12:17:40.370

Modified: 2026-10-28T15:24:56.033

Link: CVE-2026-118485

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-10-28T12:15:14Z

Weaknesses