ZeptoClaw is a personal AI assistant that, before version 0.7.6, allowed attackers to bypass path boundary checks using a dangling symlink component, a TOCTOU race condition between validation and use, and a hardlink alias bypass. These flaws enable an attacker to read or modify files outside the intended application directory, effectively granting arbitrary file system access. The weakness is classified as a File Path Traversal (CWE-22) and Data Manipulation (CWE-62).

The vulnerability affects all versions of ZeptoClaw packaged under the vendor qhkm prior to the 0.7.6 release. The version check is specifically mentioned in vendor commit announcements as safe after upgrading to 0.7.6.

The CVE carries a high CVSS score of 8.8, indicating significant potential impact. The EPSS score is below 1%, suggesting a low likelihood of exploitation in the near term, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Exploitation likely requires local access to the ZeptoClaw process or the ability to influence file system objects (symlinks/hardlinks) that the application will resolve, implying a local attack vector. Once the bypass is accomplished, an attacker can read or alter any files the process can access.