# CVE-2020-8948: Path traversal in n/a

> An unprivileged user can overwrite arbitrary files via hard links in Sierra Wireless Windows drivers, leading to arbitrary code execution with system privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-69fw-6gfj-m3v8

## What is CVE-2020-8948?

CVE-2020-8948 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Sierra Wireless Windows Mobile Broadband Driver Packages (MBDP) before build 5043 allows an unprivileged user to overwrite arbitrary files in arbitrary folders using hard links. An unprivileged user could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8948?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Sierrawireless Mobile Broadband Driver Package.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8948?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-8948 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-8948 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8948 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8948 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8948 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Apr 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8948 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2020-8948/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8948/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8948
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8948
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8948

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8948/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.