# CVE-2023-31449: Path traversal in n/a

> Authenticated users with write permissions can exploit path traversal in the WMI Custom sensor to execute files outside the designated folder.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4945-v8hq-6vpc

## What is CVE-2023-31449?

CVE-2023-31449 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Aug 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A path traversal vulnerability was identified in the WMI Custom sensor in PRTG 23.2.84.1566 and earlier versions where an authenticated user with write permissions could trick the WMI Custom sensor into behaving differently for existing files and non-existing files. This made it possible to traverse paths, allowing the sensor to execute files outside the designated custom sensors folder. The severity of this vulnerability is medium and received a score of 4.7 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-31449?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Paessler Prtg Network Monitor.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-31449?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-31449 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-31449 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-31449 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-19410](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19410/): Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Local File Inclusion (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-9276](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-9276/): Paessler PRTG Network Monitor OS Command Injection (high 7.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-10374](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10374/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-51630](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-51630/): Paessler PRTG Network Monitor Cross-Site Scripting Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-31452](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31452/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-31449 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-31449 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Aug 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-31449 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-2023-31449/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31449/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-31449
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-31449
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-31449

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-31449/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.