# CVE-2023-32676: Autolab tar slip in Install Assessment functionality (`GHSL-2023-081`)

> Authenticated instructors can execute arbitrary code or modify files by uploading a malicious tar archive with path traversal sequences.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 May 2023
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x9hj-r9q4-832c

## What is CVE-2023-32676?

CVE-2023-32676 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Autolab, published on 26 May 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Autolab is a course management service that enables auto-graded programming assignments. A Tar slip vulnerability was found in the Install assessment functionality of Autolab. To exploit this vulnerability an authenticated attacker with instructor permissions needs to upload a specially crafted Tar file. Using the install assessment functionality an attacker can feed a Tar file that contain files with paths pointing outside of the target directory (e.g.,  `../../../../tmp/tarslipped1.sh`). When the Install assessment form is submitted the files inside of the archives are expanded to the attacker-chosen locations. This issue has been addressed in version 2.11.0. Users are advised to upgrade.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-32676?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Autolabproject Autolab.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-32676?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-32676 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-32676 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-32676 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Autolab

- [CVE-2022-41955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-41955/): Autolab is vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) via MOSS functionality (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-0936](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0936/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in autolab/autolab (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2024-53258](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53258/): download_all_submissions allows student to download another student's submissions in Autolab (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2024-49376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49376/): Autolab Has Misconfigured Reset Password Permissions (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2024-53260](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53260/): Course Roster vulnerable to CSV Injection in Autolab (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-32676 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-32676 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Autolab, published on 26 May 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-32676 exists.

Affected product: Autolab. 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-2023-32676/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32676/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-32676
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-32676
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-32676

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32676/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.