High severity · published Sep 26, 2026
CVE-2026-100690
Hugo v0.161.0 to v0.165.0 Arbitrary File Read via Symlinks
7.5
CVSS
0.4%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Hugo versions from v0.161.0 through v0.165.0 run Node.js tools (css.PostCSS, css.TailwindCSS, js.Babel) under the Node.js permission model to restrict file system reads to the project directory and configured mounts. Because the Node.js permission model validates only the lexical path and follows symbolic links that point outside the allowed set, Hugo did not detect symlinks escaping the sandbox. An attacker who can contribute content to a Hugo project (for example via a pull request) can commit a symlink such as assets/css/x.css -> /etc/passwd together with a PostCSS plugin that reads it, allowing any file readable by the Hugo build process to be disclosed and potentially embedded in the published site. This affects builds using the default security configuration; projects that do not invoke Node.js tools are unaffected. Fixed in v0.166.0, which scans allowed paths and fails the build when a symbolic link resolves outside them.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.4% · higher than 29% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
HU
hugo · gohugoio
0.161.0 before 0.166.0 · source: vendor, NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-100690
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-100690
vendor-advisory
https://github.com/gohugoio/hugo/security/advisories/GHSA-x3mx-cm49-8m9c
third-party-advisory
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/hugo-0.161.0-to-0.165.0-arbitrary-file-read-via-symlinks
More from hugo
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7.5
CVE-2026-100692
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