CVE-2026-27969: Vitess users with backup storage access can write to arbitrary file paths on restore

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• 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 0.6%, percentile 49: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 49% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (high (admin)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes vitess.io/vitess (Go) >= 0.23.0-rc1, < 0.23.3, fixed in 0.23.3; vitess.io/vitess (Go) < 0.22.4, fixed in 0.22.4. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

Vitess is a database clustering system for horizontal scaling of MySQL. Prior to versions 23.0.3 and 22.0.4, anyone with read/write access to the backup storage location (e.g. an S3 bucket) can manipulate backup manifest files so that files in the manifest — which may be files that they have also added to the manifest and backup contents — are written to any accessible location on restore. This is a common path traversal security issue. This can be used to provide that attacker with unintended/unauthorized access to the production deployment environment — allowing them to access information available in that environment as well as run any additional arbitrary commands there. Versions 23.0.3 and 22.0.4 contain a patch. No known workarounds are available.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact

Anyone with read/write access to the backup storage location (e.g. an S3 bucket) can manipulate backup manifest files so that files in the manifest — which may be files that they have also added to the manifest and backup contents — are written to any accessible location on restore. This is a common Path Traversal security issue. This can be used to provide that attacker with unintended/unauthorized access to the production deployment environment — allowing them to access information available in that environment as well as run any additional arbitrary commands there.

Patches

v23.0.3 and v22.0.4

Resources

Weakness type: CWE-22.

Product: vitess.io/vitess (Go) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-02-26

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: high (admin)
• User interaction: passive

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.62% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 49.

Timeline

• 2026-02-26 — CVE record last updated
• 2026-02-26 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-02-27 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-r492-hjgh-c9gw published (critical)

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-r492-hjgh-c9gw github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-27969 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-27969 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com
3. github.com github.com
4. owasp.org owasp.org

Critical Go advisories · Today’s Security Digest