# CVE-2004-1020: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files by exploiting improper NULL character escaping in addslashes, bypassing magic_quotes_gpc protections.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Dec 2004
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h7q9-pqp4-r828

## What is CVE-2004-1020?

CVE-2004-1020 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Php Php, published on 8 Dec 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The addslashes function in PHP 4.3.9 does not properly escape a NULL (/0) character, which may allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files in PHP applications that contain a directory traversal vulnerability in require or include statements, but are otherwise protected by the magic_quotes_gpc mechanism.  NOTE: this issue was originally REJECTed by its CNA before publication, but that decision is in active dispute.  This candidate may change significantly in the future as a result of further discussion.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-1020?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php Php.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-1020?

No fix has been published for CVE-2004-1020 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2004-1020 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-1020 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PHP 4/5 - 'addslashes()' Null Byte Bypass (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Php Php

- [CVE-2012-2688](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2688/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2376/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3268/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-4143](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4143/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-5557](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5557/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-1020 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-1020 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Php Php, published on 8 Dec 2004. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-1020 exists.

Affected product: Php Php. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1020/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1020/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-1020
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-1020
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-1020

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1020/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.