# CVE-2022-23971: ASUS RT-AX56U - Path Traversal

> An unauthenticated LAN attacker can overwrite system files via path traversal in the update_PLC/PORT file, causing service disruption on ASUS RT-AX56U routers.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-prcc-4qf3-mc5c

## What is CVE-2022-23971?

CVE-2022-23971 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in ASUS RT-AX56U, published on 7 Apr 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ASUS RT-AX56U’s update_PLC/PORT file has a path traversal vulnerability due to insufficient filtering for special characters in the URL parameter. An unauthenticated LAN attacker can overwrite a system file by uploading another PLC/PORT file with the same file name, which results in service disruption.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23971?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Asus Rt-Ax56u Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23971?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-23971 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-23971 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in ASUS RT-AX56U

- [CVE-2021-40556](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40556/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-23972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23972/): ASUS RT-AX56U - SQL Injection (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-23973](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23973/): ASUS RT-AX56U - Stack overflew (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-23970](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23970/): ASUS RT-AX56U - Path Traversal (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2021-44158](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44158/): ASUS RT-AX56U Router - Stack-based buffer overflow (high 8.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23971 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23971 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in ASUS RT-AX56U, published on 7 Apr 2022. 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-2022-23971 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ASUS RT-AX56U. 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-2022-23971/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23971/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23971
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23971
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23971

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23971/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.