# CVE-2020-12499: PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer version 2020.3.1 and earlier: Improper path sanitation vulnerability.

> Attackers can exploit improper path sanitation during project file import to read or modify arbitrary files on the system.

- **Severity:** High 8.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Jul 2020
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7wjc-2c4g-g553

## What is CVE-2020-12499?

CVE-2020-12499 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer, published on 21 Jul 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

In PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer version 2020.3.1 and earlier an improper path sanitation vulnerability exists on import of project files.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-12499?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Phoenixcontact Plcnext Engineer.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-12499?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-12499 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-12499 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12499 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-12499 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-12499 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer, published on 21 Jul 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-12499 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PHOENIX CONTACT PLCnext Engineer. 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-2020-12499/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12499/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-12499
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12499
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-12499

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12499/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.