# CVE-2004-1678: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files and potentially execute code via directory traversal in PerlDesk's pdesk.cgi script.

- **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:** 20 Feb 2005
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hq49-5fpc-c85q

## What is CVE-2004-1678?

CVE-2004-1678 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Feb 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directory traversal vulnerability in pdesk.cgi in PerlDesk allows remote attackers to read portions of arbitrary files and possibly execute arbitrary Perl modules via ".." sequences terminated by a %00 (null) character in the lang parameter, which can leak portions of the requested files if a compilation error message occurs.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-1678?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Logicnow Perldesk.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-1678?

No fix has been published for CVE-2004-1678 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2004-1678 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2004-1678 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PerlDesk Language Variable - Server-Side Script Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2005-0343](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-0343/): SQL injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2004-1677](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1677/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-1678 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-1678 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Feb 2005. 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-2004-1678 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2004-1678/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1678/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-1678
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-1678
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-1678

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1678/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.