CVE-2026-40576 — AI Deep Analysis Summary

🚨 **Essence**: Path Traversal in `excel-mcp-server`. 📉 **Consequences**: Attackers can read, write, or overwrite **ANY file** on the host system. 💥 Total loss of file integrity and confidentiality.

🛡️ **CWE**: CWE-22 (Path Traversal). 🔍 **Flaw**: The `get_excel_path` function fails to enforce **directory boundaries**. It allows malicious paths to escape the intended Excel directory.

👥 **Affected**: `excel-mcp-server` by **haris-musa**. 📦 **Versions**: **0.1.7 and earlier**. 📅 **Published**: 2026-04-21.

💻 **Privileges**: Unauthenticated access. 📂 **Data Impact**: Can **Read** sensitive configs, **Write** malicious scripts, and **Overwrite** critical system files. 🌐 **Scope**: Host filesystem.

⚡ **Threshold**: **LOW**. 🚫 **Auth**: None required (Unauthenticated). 🌍 **Network**: Remote (AV:N). 🎯 **Complexity**: Low (AC:L). Easy to exploit.

🧪 **Public Exp?**: No specific PoC code provided in the data. 📝 **Reference**: GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-j98m-w3xp-9f56) is the source of truth. ⚠️ **Risk**: High likelihood of wild exploitation due to simplicity.

🔍 **Self-Check**: Scan for `excel-mcp-server` v0.1.7-. 📡 **Feature**: Look for Excel file handling endpoints. 🧪 **Test**: Send crafted path parameters (e.g., `../../etc/passwd`) to see if it escapes the directory.

🛠️ **Fix**: Update to a version **newer than 0.1.7**. 📢 **Official**: Check GitHub advisories for the patched release. 🔄 **Action**: Immediate upgrade recommended.

🚧 **No Patch?**: Implement strict **input validation** on file paths. 🛑 **Mitigation**: Enforce directory boundaries in `get_excel_path`.…

🔥 **Urgency**: **HIGH**. 🚨 **Priority**: Critical. 📉 **CVSS**: High Impact (I:H, A:H). 🏃 **Action**: Patch immediately to prevent arbitrary file overwrite and system compromise.