# CVE-2018-14847: MikroTik Router OS Directory Traversal

> Unauthenticated attackers can read arbitrary files, while authenticated users can write files via directory traversal in the WinBox interface.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 1 Dec 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 2 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j583-4cfp-xf9m

## What is CVE-2018-14847?

CVE-2018-14847 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Mikrotik Routeros, published on 2 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

MikroTik RouterOS through 6.42 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files and remote authenticated attackers to write arbitrary files due to a directory traversal vulnerability in the WinBox interface.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14847?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mikrotik Routeros.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14847?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-14847 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 1 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2018-14847 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-14847 in the wild since at least 1 Dec 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Proof of Concept of Winbox Critical Vulnerability (CVE-2018-14847) (github_poc): https://github.com/BasuCert/WinboxPoC
- This is a proof of concept of the critical WinBox vulnerability (CVE-2018-14847) which allows for arbitrary file read of plain text passwords.  The vulnerability has long since been fixed, so this project has ended and will not be supported or updated anymore. You can fork it and update it yourself instead. (github_poc): https://github.com/hacker30468/Mikrotik-router-hack
- MikroTik RouterOS Winbox未经身份验证的任意文件读/写漏洞 (github_poc): https://github.com/jas502n/CVE-2018-14847
- PoC of CVE-2018-14847 Mikrotik Vulnerability using simple script (github_poc): https://github.com/sinichi449/Python-MikrotikLoginExploit
- Automated version of CVE-2018-14847 (MikroTik Exploit) (github_poc): https://github.com/syrex1013/MikroRoot
- C# implementation of BasuCert/WinboxPoC [Winbox Critical Vulnerability (CVE-2018-14847)] (github_poc): https://github.com/msterusky/WinboxExploit

## Other vulnerabilities in Mikrotik Routeros

- [CVE-2018-7445](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-7445/): MikroTik RouterOS Stack-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-86060](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-86060/): MikroTik RouterOS Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command (critical 9.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-67277](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-67277/): MikroTik RouterOS Missing Authentication for Critical Function (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-67279](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-67279/): Mikrotik RouterOS Improper Enforcement of Behavioral Workflow (medium 6.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-20149](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20149/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14847 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14847 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Mikrotik Routeros, published on 2 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2018-14847 in the wild since at least 1 Dec 2021.

Affected product: Mikrotik Routeros. 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-2018-14847/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14847/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14847
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14847
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14847

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14847/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.