CVE-2026-48818

When serving static files on Windows, StaticFiles resolves the requested path with os.path.realpath. If a UNC path (such as \\attacker.com\share) reaches the resolver, realpath causes the process to open a connection to the remote host over SMB (port 445). This is a server-side request forgery (SSRF) that leaks the service account's NTLMv2 credentials to the attacker-controlled host, which can then be cracked offline or relayed to other hosts.

Details

StaticFiles.lookup_path() joins the requested path onto the served directory and calls os.path.realpath on the result before checking containment with os.path.commonpath. On Windows, a UNC path is absolute, so os.path.join discards the served directory and realpath resolves the bare UNC path, triggering the outbound SMB connection and NTLM authentication before the containment check rejects the path. The HTTP response is a benign 404, but the credential disclosure has already happened. POSIX systems are not affected.

This only affects the default configuration (follow_symlink=False), which uses os.path.realpath. The follow_symlink=True branch uses os.path.abspath, which performs no I/O.

Mitigation

Applications not running on Windows are not affected. On Windows, serving static files through a dedicated web server (such as nginx or IIS) instead of StaticFiles avoids the issue. Blocking outbound SMB (port 445) from the application host prevents the credential disclosure even if a UNC path is resolved.

Applications running on Windows that serve files with StaticFiles (directly, or via a framework built on Starlette such as FastAPI) in the default configuration are affected. StaticFiles is typically unauthenticated, so any client can trigger the SMB connection and leak the service account's NTLMv2 hash. A secondary impact is discovering internal hosts reachable over SMB by timing responses for valid versus invalid addresses.

Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside. Typical impact: access to internal metadata services, internal APIs, or cloud credentials.

CVE-2026-48818 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.1.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-48818? CVE-2026-48818 is a high-severity server-side request forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in starlette (pip), affecting versions < 1.1.0. It is fixed in 1.1.0. Untrusted input controls the target URL of a server-initiated request, which may reach internal services not otherwise accessible from outside.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-48818? CVE-2026-48818 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of starlette are affected by CVE-2026-48818? starlette (pip) versions < 1.1.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-48818? Yes. CVE-2026-48818 is fixed in 1.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-48818 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-48818 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2026-48818 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2026-48818? Upgrade starlette to 1.1.0 or later.