---
id: CVE-2026-62965
title: 'SABnzbd: Orphan-job path traversal permits arbitrary file deletion'
summary: >-
  SABnzbd is an open source automated Usenet download tool. Prior to 5.1.0Beta3,
  orphan-job management in `sabnzbd/api.py` accepts the user-controlled `value`
  parameter without path confinement before `os.path.join()` with
  `download_dir`. …
severity: high
cvss: 7
cvssVector: 'CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'
cvssSource: cna
cwe:
  - CWE-22
vendor: sabnzbd
product: sabnzbd
affected:
  - sabnzbd < 5.1.0Beta3
ssvc:
  exploitation: poc
  automatable: 'no'
  technicalImpact: partial
  timestamp: '2026-11-05T02:48:39.958707Z'
exploitAvailable: true
published: '2026-10-30'
updated: '2026-11-05'
sourceUpdated: '2026-11-05T02:49:01.244Z'
source: CVEORG
sourceUrl: 'https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-62965'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5'
    label: 'https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/security/advisories/GHSA-hxwh-mmrg-p8f5'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/commit/e3e7fcf361eaebec2d76397b3d27f854f8266410
    label: >-
      https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/commit/e3e7fcf361eaebec2d76397b3d27f854f8266410
  - url: 'https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/releases/tag/5.1.0Beta3'
    label: 'https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd/releases/tag/5.1.0Beta3'
tags:
  - cve.org
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.00335
epssPercentile: 0.27047
ingestedAt: '2026-11-05T21:36:00.714Z'
---

## Overview

SABnzbd is an open source automated Usenet download tool. Prior to 5.1.0Beta3, orphan-job management in `sabnzbd/api.py` accepts the user-controlled `value` parameter without path confinement before `os.path.join()` with `download_dir`. An absolute path discards that base directory. An attacker with a valid API key can invoke `mode=status` with `name=delete_orphan` to reach `_api_delete_orphan` and `remove_all()` in `sabnzbd/filesystem.py`, which uses `shutil.rmtree()` for recursive deletion. The advisory also identifies `_api_add_orphan` and `_api_delete_all_orphan` as affected by the path-validation issue, while its concrete arbitrary-deletion trace is through `_api_delete_orphan`. The API key is stored in plaintext in `sabnzbd.ini`. The attacker can delete files or directories writable by the SABnzbd process, including configuration, queue data, and downloads, but system files outside the regular user's ownership are not affected. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.0Beta3.

## Affected

- `sabnzbd < 5.1.0Beta3`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.