# CVE-2018-9118: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker can read arbitrary files on the server by exploiting a directory traversal vulnerability in the WP Background Takeover Advertisements plugin.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Apr 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pgmv-px7h-43x3

## What is CVE-2018-9118?

CVE-2018-9118 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

exports/download.php in the 99 Robots WP Background Takeover Advertisements plugin before 4.1.5 for WordPress has Directory Traversal via a .. in the filename parameter.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-9118?

It affects 1 product.


Products: 99robots Wp Background Takeover Advertisements.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-9118?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-9118 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-9118 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-9118 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Plugin Background Takeover < 4.1.4 - Directory Traversal (exploitdb)
- WordPress 99 Robots WP Background Takeover Advertisements <=4.1.4 - Local File Inclusion (nuclei): http/cves/2018/CVE-2018-9118.yaml

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-9118 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-9118 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-9118 exists.

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-2018-9118/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9118/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-9118
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-9118
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-9118

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9118/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.