# CVE-2020-13924: Path traversal in Apache Ambari

> Malicious users can exploit directory traversal in Apache Ambari to access and download files from unauthorized directories.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 17 Mar 2021
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vh54-r2r8-v2g2

## What is CVE-2020-13924?

CVE-2020-13924 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache Ambari, published on 17 Mar 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Apache Ambari versions 2.6.2.2 and earlier, malicious users can construct file names for directory traversal and traverse to other directories to download files.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-13924?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Ambari.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-13924?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-13924 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-13924 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-13924 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Ambari

- [CVE-2017-5642](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5642/): Misconfiguration in Apache Ambari (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-3582](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3582/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-6807](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-6807/): Apache Ambari Improper Access Control (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-51941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-51941/): Apache Ambari: Remote Code Injection in Ambari Metrics and AMS Alerts (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-23196](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23196/): Apache Ambari: Code Injection Vulnerability in Ambari Alert Definition (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-13924 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-13924 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache Ambari, published on 17 Mar 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-13924 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Ambari. 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-2020-13924/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13924/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13924
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13924
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-13924

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13924/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.