# CVE-2019-9960: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker can exploit a relative path vulnerability in the export function to read arbitrary files from the server.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Mar 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qc3p-q4r9-f58r

## What is CVE-2019-9960?

CVE-2019-9960 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Limesurvey Limesurvey, published on 24 Mar 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The downloadZip function in application/controllers/admin/export.php in LimeSurvey through 3.16.1+190225 allows a relative path.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-9960?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Limesurvey Limesurvey.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-9960?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-9960 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-9960 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2019-9960 exists.

Public exploit code:

- LimeSurvey Zip Path Traversals (metasploit)

## 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-2019-9960 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-9960 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Limesurvey Limesurvey, published on 24 Mar 2019. 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-2019-9960 exists.

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-2019-9960/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9960/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9960
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9960
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-9960

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9960/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.