GHSA-62q4-447f-wv8h Regression in pymdownx.snippets reintroduces sibling-prefix path traversal bypass despite restrict_base_path
Summary`pymdownx.snippets` has a regression of the CVE-2023-32309 / GHSA-jh85-wwv9-24hv fix. With `restrict_base_path: True` (the default), the current `filename.startswith(base)` containment check does not enforce a directory boundary. As a result, a markdown snippet directive can read files from sibling paths that share the same prefix as `base_path`, such as `docs` vs `docs_internal`.The regression was introduced in PR #2039 / commit `7c13bda5b7793b172efd1abb6712e156a83fe07d`, which replaced the original directory-identity check with a plain string-prefix comparison.DetailsThe regression was introduced in commit `7c13bda5b7793b172efd1abb6712e156a83fe07d` (2023-05-15, #2039 *"Fix regression of snippets nested deeply under specified base path"*), which relaxed the original `os.path.samefile(base, os.path.dirname(filename))` check to a plain `startswith(base)`.`SnippetPreprocessor.get_snippet_path()` in `pymdownx/snippets.py`:`base` is `os.path.abspath(b)` and has no trailing separator. `str.startswith(base)` is `True` for any `filename` whose string representation begins with the same characters as `base`, regardless of whether those characters end at a directory boundary.Concrete example:`base = "/x/docs"``path = "../docs_secret/leak.txt"` (inside the markdown snippet directive)`os.path.join(base, path)` → `"/x/docs/../docs_secret/leak.txt"``os.path.abspath(...)`     → `"/x/docs_secret/leak.txt"``filename.startswith(base)` → `True`, because `"/x/docs_secret/..."` begins with the literal string `"/x/docs"`.All releases from **10.0.1 (2023-05-15) through 10.21.2 (current)** are affected.ImpactArbitrary file read within the host the build runs on, bounded by the prefix match. With `base_path = /x/docs` the attacker can read files from any sibling directory whose path begins with the literal string `/x/docs` followed by any non-separator character — for example `/x/docs_internal/`, `/x/docs.bak/`, `/x/docs2/`.The threat model is the same as the original CVE-2023-32309: markdown content processed by the snippets preprocessor in a build pipeline (typical scenario: an MkDocs documentation site built in CI from PR contributions or otherwise less-trusted markdown) can read files outside the configured base. CI builds that publish the generated HTML expose the read file to the public; CI builds with secrets on disk leak those secrets.ReproductionMinimal local PoC, non-destructive:Default `restrict_base_path: True` is sufficient — no non-default option is required.Suggested fixMinimal change — require the separator after the base prefix:This preserves the original intent (allow snippets nested at any depth under `base_path`) while restoring the directory-boundary check. It does not affect the `os.path.isdir(base)` branch where `base` is a file (that branch still uses `os.path.samefile`).Alternative: `os.path.commonpath([base, filename]) == base` is equivalent and slightly more idiomatic, though it raises `ValueError` on different drives on Windows and would need a `try/except`. The `startswith(base + os.sep)` fix is the smaller diff.Note: this fix does not change behaviour for symlinks inside `base_path`. The existing implementation uses `os.path.abspath` (not `os.path.realpath`), so a symlink within `base_path` pointing outside is still followed. That is a separate concern — symlinks require write access to `base_path`, a much higher bar than the current bypass — and matches the behaviour the CVE-2023 fix established.Regression testA regression test class `TestSnippetsSiblingPrefix` was added in `tests/test_extensions/test_snippets.py`. It uses `tests/test_extensions/_snippets/nested` as `base_path` and a new fixture directory `tests/test_extensions/_snippets/nested_sibling_evil/leak.txt`. It asserts that the markdown directive `--8<-- "../nested_sibling_evil/leak.txt"` raises `SnippetMissingError`.Without fix: test fails (`AssertionError: SnippetMissingError not raised`, sibling file is silently read).With fix: test passes.Full suite: `python -m pytest tests/ -q` → **738 passed** (737 baseline + 1 new regression test). No regressions.Affected versions`>= 10.0.1, <= 10.21.2`
CVSS v3.1 score: 4.3