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Security Bulletin: IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway is affected by path traversal

Security Bulletin


Summary

IBM ContextForge MCP Gateway Admin API contains a path traversal vulnerability in the administrative log download handler (`/v1/admin/logs/file`) where an authenticated user with administrative privileges can retrieve files from sibling directories sharing a common path prefix with the log directory due to improper string-based path confinement, potentially disclosing sensitive configuration data, credentials, and logs.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID:   CVE-2026-77825
DESCRIPTION:   IBM ContextForge Gateway was vulnerable to path traversal in its Admin API log-download endpoint (`GET /v1/admin/logs/file`). The path confinement check uses `str.startswith()` rather than proper boundary validation, allowing an authenticated admin to read `.log`, `.jsonl`, and `.json` files outside the configured `LOG_FOLDER` by supplying a filename that resolves into a sibling directory whose absolute path shares the log directory's string prefix.
CWE:   CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVSS Source:   IBM
CVSS Base score:   4.9
CVSS Vector:   (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N)

Affected Products and Versions

 

Affected Product(s)Version(s)
IBM ContextForge MCP Gatewayv1.0.0 - v1.0.8

 

Remediation/Fixes

IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.

Product(s)Version(s) number and/or range Remediation/Fix/Instructions
IBM ContextForge MCP Gatewayv1.0.0 - v1.0.8
Upgrade to version 1.0.9 or later. See release notes

 

  

Workarounds and Mitigations

None. IBM strongly recommends upgrading to the fixed version.

As temporary mitigations until the update can be applied:
1. Disable the Admin API (`MCPGATEWAY_ADMIN_API_ENABLED=false`) if administrative endpoints are not required.

Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins

References

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Acknowledgement

Change History

24 Sep 2026: Initial Publication

*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Security Bulletin.

Disclaimer

According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an "industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response." IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES ""AS IS"" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY. In addition to other efforts to address potential vulnerabilities, IBM periodically updates the record of components contained in our product offerings. As part of that effort, if IBM identifies previously unidentified packages in a product/service inventory, we address relevant vulnerabilities regardless of CVE date. Inclusion of an older CVEID does not demonstrate that the referenced product has been used by IBM since that date, nor that IBM was aware of a vulnerability as of that date. We are making clients aware of relevant vulnerabilities as we become aware of them. "Affected Products and Versions" referenced in IBM Security Bulletins are intended to be only products and versions that are supported by IBM and have not passed their end-of-support or warranty date. Thus, failure to reference unsupported or extended-support products and versions in this Security Bulletin does not constitute a determination by IBM that they are unaffected by the vulnerability. Reference to one or more unsupported versions in this Security Bulletin shall not create an obligation for IBM to provide fixes for any unsupported or extended-support products or versions.

Document Location

Worldwide

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Document Information

Modified date:
24 September 2026

Initial Publish date:
24 September 2026

UID

ibm17289314