CVE-2023-25168 [Critical] | Security Vulnerability in Wings

Wings is Pterodactyl's server control plane. This vulnerability can be used to delete files and directories recursively on the host system. This vulnerability can be combined with `GHSA-p8r3-83r8-jwj5` to overwrite files on the host system. In order to use this exploit, an attacker must have an existing "server" allocated and controlled by Wings. This vulnerability has been resolved in version `v1.11.4` of Wings, and has been back-ported to the 1.7 release series in `v1.7.4`. Anyone running `v1.11.x` should upgrade to `v1.11.4` and anyone running `v1.7.x` should upgrade to `v1.7.4`. There are no known workarounds for this issue.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-02-18	0.73%	0.78%	+0.04%
2	2026-02-11	0.32%	0.73%	+0.41%
3	2025-11-21	—	0.32%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-02-18

0.73%

0.78%

+0.04%

2026-02-11

0.32%

0.73%

+0.41%

2025-11-21

—

0.32%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
9.6	3.1	CRITICAL	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:C) Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius. Confidentiality (C:N) Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	3.1	5.8	[email protected]
8.2	3.1	HIGH	`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:N) Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine. Attack complexity (AC:H) Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work. Privileges required (PR:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:C) Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius. Confidentiality (C:N) Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way. Integrity (I:H) They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt. Availability (A:H) Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.	1.8	5.8	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

9.6

3.1

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L): A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:C): Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:N): Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

3.1

5.8

[email protected]

8.2

3.1

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:N): Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H): Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L): A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:C): Breaking this can reach past the original component and bite other resources—bigger blast radius.
Confidentiality (C:N): Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:H): They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H): Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

1.8

5.8

[email protected]

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2023-25168

GHSA-66p8-j459-rq63 · Severity: critical · Ecosystem: go — Pterodactyl Wings contains UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following resulting in deletion of files and directories on the host system

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-25168

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
pterodactyl	wings	>= 1.7.0, < 1.7.4	cpe:2.3:a:pterodactyl:wings::::::::
pterodactyl	wings	1.11.0	cpe:2.3:a:pterodactyl:wings:1.11.0:-::::::
pterodactyl	wings	1.11.1	cpe:2.3:a:pterodactyl:wings:1.11.1:::::::*
pterodactyl	wings	1.11.2	cpe:2.3:a:pterodactyl:wings:1.11.2:::::::*
pterodactyl	wings	1.11.3	cpe:2.3:a:pterodactyl:wings:1.11.3:::::::*

References for CVE-2023-25168

URL	Tags
https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/commit/429ac62dba22997a278bc709df5ac00a5a25d83d	Patch Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/security/advisories/GHSA-66p8-j459-rq63	Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/pterodactyl/wings/security/advisories/GHSA-p8r3-83r8-jwj5	Vendor Advisory

URL

CVE-2023-25168 | Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following allowing the deletion of files and directories on the host system in wings

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-25168

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-25168

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-25168

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2023-25168

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-25168

References for CVE-2023-25168