# CVE-2020-8865: Path traversal in Groupware Webmail Edition

> Authenticated attackers can execute local PHP files via path traversal in edit.php, leading to code execution on Horde Groupware Webmail Edition.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 23 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2020-8865, DLA-2175-1, GHSA-ggc2-fj6j-c7cc, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-8865

## What is CVE-2020-8865?

CVE-2020-8865 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Mar 2020. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute local PHP files on affected installations of Horde Groupware Webmail Edition 5.2.22. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within edit.php. When parsing the params[template] parameter, the process does not properly validate a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to execute code in the context of the www-data user. Was ZDI-CAN-10469.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-23 (Relative Path Traversal)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8865?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Horde Groupware.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8865?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2020-8865 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8865 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Horde Groupware Webmail Edition 5.2.22 - PHP File Inclusion (exploitdb)
- Horde Groupware Webmail Edition 5.2.22 - PHAR Loading (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8865 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8865 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Mar 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-2020-8865 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2020-8865/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8865/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8865
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8865
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8865

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8865/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.