---
id: CVE-2026-71209
title: >-
  audiobookshelf's authentication-exemption check (server/routers/Auth.js)
  matches unauthenticated-allowed GET routes against req.path via a regex
  requiring a literal /items/:id/cover or /authors/:id/image shape, where
  req.path retains %2F…
summary: >-
  audiobookshelf's authentication-exemption check (server/routers/Auth.js)
  matches unauthenticated-allowed GET routes against req.path via a regex
  requiring a literal /items/:id/cover or /authors/:id/image shape, where
  req.path retains %2F…
severity: high
cvss: 7.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'
cwe:
  - CWE-22
published: '2026-08-05'
updated: '2026-08-10'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-71209'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf'
    label: 309f9ea4-e3e9-4c6c-b79d-e8eb01244f2c
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/security/advisories/GHSA-pg8v-5jcv-wrvw
    label: 309f9ea4-e3e9-4c6c-b79d-e8eb01244f2c
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/security/advisories/GHSA-pg8v-5jcv-wrvw
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.02005
epssPercentile: 0.79963
ingestedAt: '2026-08-10T12:39:48.422Z'
exploits:
  nuclei:
    - CVE-2026-71209
  checkedAt: '2026-09-24T07:53:14.462Z'
exploitAvailable: true
---

## Overview

audiobookshelf's authentication-exemption check (server/routers/Auth.js) matches unauthenticated-allowed GET routes against req.path via a regex requiring a literal /items/:id/cover or /authors/:id/image shape, where req.path retains %2F sequences URL-encoded. CacheManager.handleCoverCache then joins this decoded value into a cache file path and streams the result before any database-backed ownership check.

## Remediation

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