Loading...
Skip to main content

CVE-2025-64712 — Vulnerability in unstructured — CVE Details

CRITICAL

Unstructured has Path Traversal via Malicious MSG Attachment that Allows Arbitrary File Write

Published February 3, 2026Updated September 10, 2026Source: osv

Summary

A Path Traversal vulnerability in the `partition_msg` function allows an attacker to write or overwrite arbitrary files on the filesystem when processing malicious MSG files with attachments. ## Impact An attacker can craft a malicious .msg file with attachment filenames containing path traversal sequences (e.g., `../../../etc/cron.d/malicious`). When processed with `process_attachments=True`, the library writes the attachment to an attacker-controlled path, potentially leading to: - Arbitrary file overwrite - Remote code execution (via overwriting configuration files, cron jobs, or Python packages) - Data corruption - Denial of service ## Affected Functionality The vulnerability affects the MSG file partitioning functionality when `process_attachments=True` is enabled. ## Vulnerability Details The library does not sanitize attachment filenames in MSG files before using them in file write operations, allowing directory traversal sequences to escape the intended output directory. ## Workarounds Until patched, users can: - Set `process_attachments=False` when processing untrusted MSG files - Avoid processing MSG files from untrusted sources - Implement additional filename validation before processing

Advisory Timeline

  • First published February 3, 2026 (251 days ago).
  • Last revised September 10, 2026 — 218 days after initial publication.

Remediation

Upgrade to the fixed version using your package manager.

pip
Update unstructured to 0.18.18 or later
pip install "unstructured>=0.18.18"

After upgrading, run your dependency scanner again to confirm the vulnerability is resolved.

Affected Packages (1)

Affects 1 ecosystem: pypi (1).

PackageEcosystemAffectedFixed In
unstructured
pypi
0.0.1.dev0, 0.10.0, 0.10.1, 0.10.10 (+189 more)0.18.18

Vulnerability Classification

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) identifiers for this vulnerability type.

CVSS Score Breakdown

What the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) 9.8 score means for each attack dimension.

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-64712?
Unstructured has Path Traversal via Malicious MSG Attachment that Allows Arbitrary File Write This vulnerability has been assigned a severity rating of CRITICAL (CVSS score: 9.8/10).
How do I check if my project is affected by CVE-2025-64712?
CVE-2025-64712 affects unstructured. Use GeekWala's free vulnerability scanner to check your dependencies against CVE-2025-64712 and 200,000+ other known vulnerabilities.

Severity & Exploitability

CVSS Score
9.8

Exploitation is straightforward and causes maximum impact. Patch immediately.

Also Known As

GHSA-gm8q-m8mv-jj5m
PYSEC-2026-558

Related CVEs

Check if you're affected

Scan your dependencies to see if this vulnerability affects your projects.

Scan Your Dependencies