Description
audiobookshelf's authentication-exemption check (server/routers/Auth.js) matches unauthenticated-allowed GET routes against req.path via a regex requiring a literal /items/:id/cover or /authors/:id/image shape, where req.path retains %2F sequences URL-encoded. CacheManager.handleCoverCache then joins this decoded value into a cache file path and streams the result before any database-backed ownership check.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| advplyr | audiobookshelf | 2.19.1 – ≤ 2.35.1 | — |
Automated scanner template
A ready-made Nuclei template detects this vulnerability automatically. Vulnerabilities with public scanner templates are typically probed across the internet soon after the template appears — exposed systems should be patched first.
- Audiobookshelf - Authentication Bypass http/cves/2026/CVE-2026-71209.yaml
Source: projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates (MIT) — updated daily. Only links are listed.
References
- https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf/security/advisories/GHSA-pg8v-5jcv-wrvw third-party-advisory
- https://github.com/advplyr/audiobookshelf third-party-advisory