CVE Intelligence
Critical exploit reference

CVE-2026-49441 — Wazuh : peer-controlled metadata key in process_files_from_worker non-merged branch allows arbitrary file write under WAZUH_PATH on Wazuh manager

Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. From 4.3.0 until 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3, the non-merged branch of process_files_from_worker() in framework/wazuh/core/cluster/master.py trusts a peer-controlled file_path key from files_metadata.json. The destination is joined to WAZUH_PATH without proving that it remains inside the directory selected by cluster_item_key. A cluster peer holding the shared Fernet key can upload a crafted extra-valid archive and overwrite security-sensitive files such as /var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf. Replacing ossec.conf can configure root-executed commands and lead to code execution after a service reload. This issue is fixed in versions 4.14.6 and 5.0.0-beta3.

Published Aug 19, 2026 · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP · CNA: GitHub_M

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 0.8% (30-day exploitation probability)+8
  • Technical severity (critical)+10

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
0.77%
ahead of 55% of scored CVEs · Oct 15, 2026
Affects
Wazuh
Wazuh
CVSS base
9.1
Critical · 2 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Total
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

  • Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
  • Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
  • Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
  • Documented patch — github.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Wazuh Wazuh).
  2. Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
  3. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Wazuh Wazuh ≥ 4.3.0 and < 4.14.6version 5.0.0-beta1version 5.0.0-beta2 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Wazuh Wazuh version >= 4.3.0, < 4.14.6version >= 5.0.0-beta1, < 5.0.0-beta3 Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
9.1 CVSS 3.1 Critical 2.3 6.0 security-advisories@github.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database
9.1 CVSS 3.1 Critical — — GitHub_M via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: security-advisories@github.com)

Weakness MITRE

Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.

CWE-73

Other CVEs with this weakness →

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Affected products added · wazuh/wazuh
    Oct 15, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 15, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 15, 2026
  • Fix documented
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVSS changed · 9.1
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Analyzed
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVE published
    Aug 19, 2026 · GitHub_M

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026

References

5 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Wazuh
every CVE for this vendor
CWE-73
other pages naming this weakness

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-71540 Wazuh Manager cluster header parsing allows pre-authentication memory exhaustion 21d
  • CVE-2026-61811 Wazuh: Unbounded Recursion in os_xml `_getattributes()` Causes analysisd Worker Thread Stack Exhaustion 21d
  • CVE-2026-61800 Wazuh cluster worker file sync allows arbitrary file write under /var/ossec (incomplete fix for CVE-2026-30893) Aug 27, 2026
  • CVE-2026-61802 Wazuh discloses cleartext cluster key to low-privilege API users via GET /cluster/local/config Aug 27, 2026
  • CVE-2026-54085 Wazuh: Missing input validation in multiple active response scripts allows argument injection Aug 27, 2026
  • CVE-2026-54084 Wazuh agent enrollment NULL pointer dereference via malformed manager response Aug 27, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-49441 is "Wazuh : peer-controlled metadata key in process_files_from_worker non-merged branch allows arbitrary file write under WAZUH_PATH on Wazuh manager", rated Critical. It affects Wazuh (Wazuh); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 9.1 describes technical severity. EPSS 0.77% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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