# CVE-2018-0420: Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Software Directory Traversal Vulnerability

> An authenticated attacker can exploit improper input sanitization to view sensitive system files on Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Oct 2018
- **Updated:** 26 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5wmr-q26h-9p6x

## What is CVE-2018-0420?

CVE-2018-0420 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software, published on 17 Oct 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the web-based interface of Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Software could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to view sensitive information. The issue is due to improper sanitization of user-supplied input in HTTP request parameters that describe filenames and pathnames. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by using directory traversal techniques to submit a path to a desired file location. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to view system files on the targeted device, which may contain sensitive information.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0420?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-0420?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-0420 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-0420 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0420 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software

- [CVE-2007-2036](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2036/): Hardcoded credentials in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2016-1363](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1363/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-6314](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6314/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2010-2842](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2842/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2010-2843](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2843/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-0420 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-0420 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software, published on 17 Oct 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0420 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Wireless Lan Controller Software. 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-2018-0420/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0420/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-0420
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0420
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-0420

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0420/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.