# CVE-2009-5068: Path traversal in SMF

> Co-admins can read arbitrary files, including database credentials, leading to privilege escalation in shared SMF deployments.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jan 2020
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hw49-57p9-2mh2

## What is CVE-2009-5068?

CVE-2009-5068 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SMF, published on 15 Jan 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

There is a file disclosure vulnerability in SMF (Simple Machines Forum) affecting versions through v2.0.3. On some configurations a SMF deployment is shared by several "co-admins" that are not trusted beyond the SMF deployment. This vulnerability allows them to read arbitrary files on the filesystem and therefore gain new privileges by reading the settings.php with the database passwords.

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-5068?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Simplemachines Simple Machines Forum.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-5068?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-5068 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-5068 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-5068 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Simple Machines Forum (SMF) 1.1.10/2.0 RC2 - Multiple Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in SMF

- [CVE-2018-10305](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10305/): Missing authorization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-5726](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5726/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-7466](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-7466/): Path traversal in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2016-5727](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5727/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2013-7468](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-7468/): Code injection in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-5068 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-5068 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SMF, published on 15 Jan 2020. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-5068 exists.

Affected product: SMF. 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-2009-5068/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-5068/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-5068
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-5068
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-5068

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-5068/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.