# CVE-2018-14036: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in AccountsService due to insufficient path checks.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-14036, GHSA-2pjf-fjvv-2rf2, SUSE-SU-2018:3625-1, SUSE-SU-2019:2778-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-14036, openSUSE-SU-2024:10611-1

## What is CVE-2018-14036?

CVE-2018-14036 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Jul 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directory Traversal with ../ sequences occurs in AccountsService before 0.6.50 because of an insufficient path check in user_change_icon_file_authorized_cb() in user.c.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14036?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP4 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 | All versions | 0.6.45-6.7.6 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP4 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountsservice` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 0.6.42-16.8.3 |
| `accountservice` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 0.6.55-8.2 |

Products: Freedesktop Accountsservice.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14036?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-14036 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-14036 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-16126](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16126/): accountsservice drops ruid, allows unprivileged users to send it signals (low 3.3)
- [CVE-2020-16127](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16127/): accountsservice .pam_environment infinite loop (low 2.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14036 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14036 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 13 Jul 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-2018-14036 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-2018-14036/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14036/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14036
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14036
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14036

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14036/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.