---
title: "CVE-2025-58438: internetarchive Vulnerable to Directory Traversal in File.download()"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-58438/
description: "CVE-2025-58438 (internetarchive (PyPI)): internetarchive is a Python and Command-Line Interface to Archive.org In versions 5.5.0 and below, there is a…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2025-09-06
date_modified: 2025-11-03
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2025-58438"
kev: false
cvss: 9.4
epss: 0.0159
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2025-58438: internetarchive Vulnerable to Directory Traversal in File.download()

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 1.6% , percentile 75: FIRST’s model estimates a 1.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 75% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes internetarchive (PyPI) <= 5.5.0, fixed in 5.5.1 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

internetarchive is a Python and Command-Line Interface to Archive.org In versions 5.5.0 and below, there is a directory traversal (path traversal) vulnerability in the File.download() method of the internetarchive library. The file.download() method does not properly sanitize user-supplied filenames or validate the final download path. A maliciously crafted filename could contain path traversal sequences (e.g., ../../../../windows/system32/file.txt) or illegal characters that, when processed, would cause the file to be written outside of the intended target directory. An attacker could potentially overwrite critical system files or application configuration files, leading to a denial of service, privilege escalation, or remote code execution, depending on the context in which the library is used. The vulnerability is particularly critical for users on Windows systems, but all operating systems are affected. This issue is fixed in version 5.5.1.

## Affected packages

- PyPI `internetarchive` <= 5.5.0 → fixed: 5.5.1

## Affected products (CVE record)

- jjjake internetarchive: < 5.5.1

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 4.0: 9.4 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H`
- GitHub CVSS 4.0: 9.4 `CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.59% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 75.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-wx3r-v6h7-frjp](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wx3r-v6h7-frjp)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2025-58438](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-58438)
- [NVD entry CVE-2025-58438](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-58438)
- [github.com](https://github.com/jjjake/internetarchive/security/advisories/GHSA-wx3r-v6h7-frjp)
- [github.com](https://github.com/jjjake/internetarchive/commit/cba2d459e10a9489fb35caeba0b03e80f5f5d7c2)
- [github.com](https://github.com/jjjake/internetarchive/releases/tag/v5.5.1)
- [lists.debian.org](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/09/msg00030.html)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-58438/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt