# CVE-2020-6974: Path traversal in Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS)

> An attacker can bypass access controls to read restricted directories in Honeywell Notifier Web Server via path traversal.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vw6f-gmr3-fq8h

## What is CVE-2020-6974?

CVE-2020-6974 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS), published on 7 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS) Version 3.50 is vulnerable to a path traversal attack, which allows an attacker to bypass access to restricted directories. Honeywell has released a firmware update to address the problem.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-6974?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Honeywell Notifier Webserver.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-6974?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-6974 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-6974 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-6974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS)

- [CVE-2020-6972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6972/): Auth bypass in Notifier Web Server (NWS) Version 3.50 and earlier (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-6974 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-6974 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS), published on 7 Apr 2020. 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-2020-6974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Honeywell Notifier Web Server (NWS). 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-2020-6974/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6974/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-6974
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6974
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-6974

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6974/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.