# CVE-2008-5642: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in the cms_language cookie, exposing sensitive data.

- **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:** 17 Dec 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-crf7-38q6-679m

## What is CVE-2008-5642?

CVE-2008-5642 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cmsmadesimple Cms Made Simple, published on 17 Dec 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directory traversal vulnerability in admin/login.php in CMS Made Simple 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a cms_language cookie.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5642?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cmsmadesimple Cms Made Simple.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5642?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5642 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5642 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5642 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CMS Made Simple 1.4.1 - Local File Inclusion (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Cmsmadesimple Cms Made Simple

- [CVE-2010-4663](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4663/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-1527](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-1527/): Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type in CMS Made Simple (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-10081](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10081/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-10085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10085/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000453/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5642 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5642 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cmsmadesimple Cms Made Simple, published on 17 Dec 2008. 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-2008-5642 exists.

Affected product: Cmsmadesimple Cms Made Simple. 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-2008-5642/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5642/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5642
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5642
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5642

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5642/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.