# CVE-2020-27871: Path traversal in Orion Platform

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication to create arbitrary files and execute code as SYSTEM via path traversal in SolarWinds Orion Platform.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Feb 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w3pj-9p3h-pxx8

## What is CVE-2020-27871?

CVE-2020-27871 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SolarWinds Orion Platform, published on 10 Feb 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to create arbitrary files on affected installations of SolarWinds Orion Platform 2020.2.1. Although authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, the existing authentication mechanism can be bypassed. The specific flaw exists within VulnerabilitySettings.aspx. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-11902.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-27871?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Solarwinds Orion Platform.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-27871?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-27871 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-27871 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in SolarWinds Orion Platform

- [CVE-2020-10148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10148/): SolarWinds Orion Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-27258](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-27258/): Privilege escalation in Orion Platform (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-25274](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25274/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-9546](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9546/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-13169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13169/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-27871 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-27871 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in SolarWinds Orion Platform, published on 10 Feb 2021. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-27871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: SolarWinds Orion Platform. 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-2020-27871/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27871/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-27871
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27871
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-27871

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27871/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.