# CVE-2016-5765: Path traversal in Micro Focus MSS, RWeb, ZFE, RSG 1.x, 2.x, 12.x

> Remote unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in Micro Focus Reflection and MSS administrative servers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Nov 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8qjx-584q-xfgh

## What is CVE-2016-5765?

CVE-2016-5765 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Micro Focus MSS, RWeb, ZFE, RSG 1.x, 2.x, 12.x, published on 29 Nov 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Administrative Server in Micro Focus Host Access Management and Security Server (MSS) and Reflection for the Web (RWeb) and Reflection Security Gateway (RSG) and Reflection ZFE (ZFE) allows remote unauthenticated attackers to read arbitrary files via a specially crafted URL that allows limited directory traversal. Applies to MSS 12.3 before 12.3.326 and MSS 12.2 before 12.2.342 and RSG 12.1 before 12.1.362 and RWeb 12.3 before 12.3.312 and RWeb 12.2 before 12.2.342 and RWeb 12.1 before 12.1.362 and ZFE 2.0.1 before 2.0.1.18 and ZFE 2.0.0 before 2.0.0.52 and ZFE 1.4.0 before 1.4.0.14.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5765?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Microfocus Host Access Management and Security Server, Microfocus Reflection for the Web, Microfocus Reflection Security Gateway, Microfocus Reflection Zfe.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5765?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-5765 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-5765 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5765 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5765 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5765 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Micro Focus MSS, RWeb, ZFE, RSG 1.x, 2.x, 12.x, published on 29 Nov 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5765 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Micro Focus MSS, RWeb, ZFE, RSG 1.x, 2.x, 12.x. 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-2016-5765/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5765/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5765
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5765
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5765

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5765/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.