CVE-2025-10236
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to perform path traversal attacks through the LaTeX file handler in gpt_academic. By manipulating the \input{} argument in LaTeX files, attackers can access files outside the intended directory. This affects all users running gpt_academic versions up to 3.91.
💻 Affected Systems
- binary-husky gpt_academic
📦 What is this software?
Gpt Academic by Binary Husky
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote attacker reads sensitive system files, potentially including configuration files, credentials, or other sensitive data stored on the server.
Likely Case
Unauthorized file read of application files or adjacent user data, potentially exposing sensitive information or enabling further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper file permissions restrict access to sensitive files and the application runs with minimal privileges.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit details are publicly disclosed and the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown - vendor did not respond to disclosure
Vendor Advisory: None available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider upgrading to a forked/maintained version if available, or implement workarounds.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable LaTeX file handler
allDisable or remove the vulnerable LaTeX file handler component to prevent exploitation
Remove or disable crazy_functions/latex_fns/latex_toolbox.py from your gpt_academic installation
Input validation and sanitization
allAdd input validation to sanitize \input{} arguments and prevent path traversal sequences
Modify merge_tex_files_ function to validate and sanitize input paths before processing
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict file system permissions to limit what files the application can access
- Implement network segmentation to isolate gpt_academic instances from sensitive systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if you're running gpt_academic version 3.91 or earlier and if the LaTeX file handler is enabledCheck Version:
Check gpt_academic version in configuration or by examining the installation directoryVerify Fix Applied:
Test if path traversal attempts through \input{} arguments are properly blocked📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual LaTeX file processing requests
- Multiple failed file access attempts with path traversal patterns
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing suspicious \input{} arguments with path traversal sequences
SIEM Query:
Search for requests to LaTeX endpoints containing patterns like '../../' or absolute paths in input parameters