# CVE-2014-5436: Path traversal in Experion PKS

> A directory traversal flaw in Honeywell Experion PKS allows attackers to disclose sensitive information, requiring an upgrade to a supported version.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 Apr 2019
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-87hc-mm94-3rvr

## What is CVE-2014-5436?

CVE-2014-5436 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Honeywell Experion PKS, published on 8 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A directory traversal vulnerability exists in the confd.exe module in Honeywell Experion PKS R40x before R400.6, R41x before R410.6, and R43x before R430.2, which could lead to possible information disclosure. Honeywell strongly encourages and recommends all customers running unsupported versions of EKPS prior to R400 to upgrade to a supported version.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-5436?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Honeywell Experion Process Knowledge System.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-5436?

No fix has been published for CVE-2014-5436 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2014-5436 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-5436 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Honeywell Experion PKS

- [CVE-2014-5435](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-5435/): Memory corruption in Experion PKS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-9186](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9186/): File upload in Experion PKS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-9187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9187/): Memory corruption in Experion PKS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-9189](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9189/): Memory corruption in Experion PKS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-8344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8344/): Denial of service in Honeywell Experion PKS through 431 (low 3.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-5436 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-5436 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Honeywell Experion PKS, published on 8 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-5436 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Honeywell Experion PKS. 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-2014-5436/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-5436/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-5436
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-5436
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-5436

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-5436/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.