# CVE-2022-40608: Path traversal in Spectrum Protect Plus

> Attackers can download arbitrary files from target machines via directory traversal in restore operations, exposing sensitive data.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.0/A:N/I:N/PR:N/AC:H/C:H/AV:N/UI:N/S:U/RC:C/E:U/RL:O`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m8r8-8368-mvmm

## What is CVE-2022-40608?

CVE-2022-40608 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus, published on 19 Sep 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.6 through 10.1.11 Microsoft File Systems restore operation can download any file on the target machine by manipulating the URL with a directory traversal attack. This results in the restore operation gaining access to files which the operator should not have access to. IBM X-Force ID: 235873.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-40608?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Spectrum Protect Plus.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-40608?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-40608 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-40608 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-40608 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

- [CVE-2020-4854](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4854/): Hardcoded credentials in Spectrum Protect Plus (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-4242](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4242/): Command injection in Spectrum Protect Plus (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-4357](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4357/): Code injection in Spectrum Protect Plus (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2020-4469](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4469/): Command injection in Spectrum Protect Plus (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2020-4703](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-4703/): File upload in Spectrum Protect Plus (high 8.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-40608 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-40608 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus, published on 19 Sep 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-40608 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Spectrum Protect Plus. 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-2022-40608/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40608/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-40608
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-40608
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-40608

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40608/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.