# CVE-2022-2788: Path traversal in Proficy Machine Edition

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code on Windows via a malicious .BLZ file uploaded to the PLC using a path traversal vulnerability.

- **Severity:** Low 3.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Aug 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xwxm-hg2j-hpjq

## What is CVE-2022-2788?

CVE-2022-2788 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Emerson Electric Proficy Machine Edition, published on 19 Aug 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Emerson Electric's Proficy Machine Edition Version 9.80 and prior is vulnerable to CWE-29 Path Traversal: '\..\Filename', also known as a ZipSlip attack, through an upload procedure which enables attackers to implant a malicious .BLZ file on the PLC. The file can transfer through the engineering station onto Windows in a way that executes the malicious code.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-29 (Path Traversal: '\..\filename')

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-2788?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Emerson Electric\'s Proficy.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-2788?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-2788 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-2788 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-2788 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Emerson Electric Proficy Machine Edition

- [CVE-2022-2792](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2792/): Missing authorization in Proficy Machine Edition (medium 6.6)
- [CVE-2022-2790](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2790/): Security feature bypass in Proficy Machine Edition (medium 5.9)
- [CVE-2022-2793](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2793/): Missing authorization in Proficy Machine Edition (medium 5.9)
- [CVE-2022-2789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2789/): Other in Proficy Machine Edition (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-2788 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-2788 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Emerson Electric Proficy Machine Edition, published on 19 Aug 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-2788 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Emerson Electric Proficy Machine Edition. 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-2022-2788/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2788/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-2788
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-2788
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-2788

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2788/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.