# CVE-2020-4259: Missing authorization in Sterling File Gateway

> Authenticated users can manipulate cookies to access unauthorized modules, leading to privilege escalation in IBM Sterling File Gateway.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/PR:L/A:N/AC:L/I:H/RC:C/RL:O/E:U`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 May 2020
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f7gq-m8w9-39fh

## What is CVE-2020-4259?

CVE-2020-4259 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Ibm Sterling File Gateway, published on 14 May 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Sterling File Gateway 2.2.0.0 through 6.0.3.1 could allow an authenticated user could manipulate cookie information and remove or add modules from the cookie to access functionality not authorized to. IBM X-Force ID: 175638.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-4259?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Sterling File Gateway.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-4259?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-4259 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-4259 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4259 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Sterling File Gateway

- [CVE-2017-1550](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1550/): Missing authorization in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2017-1487](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1487/): Information disclosure in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2023-52292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-52292/): IBM Sterling File Gateway cross-site scripting (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2021-20473](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20473/): Auth bypass in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.3)
- [CVE-2020-4647](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4647/): SQL injection in Sterling File Gateway (medium 6.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-4259 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-4259 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Ibm Sterling File Gateway, published on 14 May 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4259 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Sterling File Gateway. 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-2020-4259/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4259/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-4259
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-4259
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-4259

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4259/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.