# CVE-2017-7418: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can bypass chroot restrictions by replacing intermediate path components with symbolic links, potentially accessing unauthorized files.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 4 Apr 2017
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-7418, GHSA-mq6p-g6qc-37c9, MGASA-2017-0115, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-7418

## What is CVE-2017-7418?

CVE-2017-7418 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 4 Apr 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ProFTPD before 1.3.5e and 1.3.6 before 1.3.6rc5 controls whether the home directory of a user could contain a symbolic link through the AllowChrootSymlinks configuration option, but checks only the last path component when enforcing AllowChrootSymlinks. Attackers with local access could bypass the AllowChrootSymlinks control by replacing a path component (other than the last one) with a symbolic link. The threat model includes an attacker who is not granted full filesystem access by a hosting provider, but can reconfigure the home directory of an FTP user.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-7418?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Proftpd Proftpd.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-7418?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-7418 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-7418 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2010-4221](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4221/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-20103](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-20103/): ProFTPD 1.3.3c Backdoor Command Execution (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2011-4130](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4130/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2026-63090](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63090/): ProFTPD mod_sftp Heap Buffer Overflow via SFTP Packet Reassembly (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-35025](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-35025/): ProFTPD ACL Bypass via /proc/self/root Path Prefix in RNFR (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-7418 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-7418 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 4 Apr 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-7418 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2017-7418/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7418/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-7418
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-7418
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-7418

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7418/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.