# CVE-2021-43176: Path traversal in GOautodial API

> Attackers can execute arbitrary PHP files on the server by manipulating the action parameter, leading to code execution and data disclosure.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fg34-7vm6-7mc4

## What is CVE-2021-43176?

CVE-2021-43176 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in GOautodial API, published on 7 Dec 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The GOautodial API prior to commit 3c3a979 made on October 13th, 2021 takes a user-supplied “action” parameter and appends a .php file extension to locate and load the correct PHP file to implement the API call. Vulnerable versions of GOautodial do not sanitize the user input that specifies the action. This permits an attacker to execute any PHP source file with a .php extension that is present on the disk and readable by the GOautodial web server process. Combined with CVE-2021-43175, it is possible for the attacker to do this without valid credentials. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-43176?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Goautodial Goautodial, Goautodial Goautodial Api.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-43176?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-43176 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-43176 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-43176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in GOautodial API

- [CVE-2021-43175](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43175/): Auth bypass in GOautodial API (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-43176 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-43176 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in GOautodial API, published on 7 Dec 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-2021-43176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: GOautodial API. 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-2021-43176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-43176
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-43176
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-43176

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.