# CVE-2020-4789: Path traversal in QRadar SIEM

> A remote attacker can exploit a path traversal vulnerability in IBM QRadar SIEM to view arbitrary files on the system via crafted URL requests.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.0/I:N/UI:N/PR:L/AC:L/S:U/C:H/A:N/AV:N/RL:O/E:U/RC:C`)
- **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:** 27 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vf9c-cf8r-7f65

## What is CVE-2020-4789?

CVE-2020-4789 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Ibm Qradar Security Information and Event Manager, published on 27 Jan 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM QRadar SIEM 7.4.2 GA to 7.4.2 Patch 1, 7.4.0 to 7.4.1 Patch 1, and 7.3.0 to 7.3.3 Patch 5 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially-crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 189302.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-4789?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Qradar Security Information and Event Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-4789?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-4789 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-4789 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Qradar Security Information and Event Manager

- [CVE-2019-4210](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4210/): Auth bypass in QRadar SIEM (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2014-3062](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3062/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2025-33117](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33117/): IBM QRadar SIEM command execution (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-4512](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4512/): Command injection in QRadar SIEM (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2015-2011](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2011/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-4789 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-4789 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Ibm Qradar Security Information and Event Manager, published on 27 Jan 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-4789 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Qradar Security Information and Event Manager. 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-2020-4789/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4789/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-4789
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-4789
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-4789

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4789/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.