# CVE-2018-1000659: Path traversal in n/a

> Authenticated attackers can exploit a directory traversal in file uploads to execute remote code via webshells.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 6 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v7xw-2w8g-gwpm

## What is CVE-2018-1000659?

CVE-2018-1000659 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Limesurvey Limesurvey, published on 6 Sep 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

LimeSurvey version 3.14.4 and earlier contains a directory traversal in file upload that allows upload of webshell vulnerability in file upload functionality that can result in remote code execution as authenticated user. This attack appear to be exploitable via An authenticated user can upload a specially crafted zip file to get remote code execution. This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in after commit 72a02ebaaf95a80e26127ee7ee2b123cccce05a7 / version 3.14.4.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-1000659?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Limesurvey Limesurvey.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-1000659?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-1000659 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-1000659 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1000659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Limesurvey Limesurvey

- [CVE-2025-56422](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-56422/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-48008](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48008/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-25019](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-25019/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-11455](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11455/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-16184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16184/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-1000659 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-1000659 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Limesurvey Limesurvey, published on 6 Sep 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-2018-1000659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Limesurvey Limesurvey. 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-2018-1000659/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000659/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-1000659
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1000659
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-1000659

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000659/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.