# CVE-2015-9266: Ubiquiti airOS HTTP(S) unauthenticated arbitrary file upload

> Unauthenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files via directory traversal in Ubiquiti network devices, leading to root privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8gj2-cpjj-73rf

## What is CVE-2015-9266?

CVE-2015-9266 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The web management interface of Ubiquiti airMAX, airFiber, airGateway and EdgeSwitch XP (formerly TOUGHSwitch) allows an unauthenticated attacker to upload and write arbitrary files using directory traversal techniques. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain root privileges. This vulnerability is fixed in the following product versions (fixes released in July 2015, all prior versions are affected): airMAX AC 7.1.3; airMAX M (and airRouter) 5.6.2 XM/XW/TI, 5.5.11 XM/TI, and 5.5.10u2 XW; airGateway 1.1.5; airFiber AF24/AF24HD 2.2.1, AF5x 3.0.2.1, and AF5 2.2.1; airOS 4 XS2/XS5 4.0.4; and EdgeSwitch XP (formerly TOUGHSwitch) 1.3.2.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-9266?

It affects 12 products.


Products: Ubnt Airos 4 Xs2, Ubnt Airos 4 Xs5, Ubnt Edgeswitch Xp Firmware, Ui Af5 Firmware, Ui Af5x Firmware, Ui Airfiber Af24 Firmware, Ui Airfiber Af24hd Firmware, Ui Airgateway Firmware, Ui Airmax Ac Firmware, Ui Airmax M Ti Firmware, Ui Airmax M Xm Firmware, Ui Airmax M Xw Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-9266?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-9266 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2015-9266 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-9266 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Ubiquiti airOS Arbitrary File Upload (metasploit)
- AirOS 6.x - Arbitrary File Upload (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-9266 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-9266 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Sep 2018. 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-2015-9266 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-2015-9266/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-9266/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-9266
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-9266
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-9266

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-9266/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.