# CVE-2023-40274: zola Path Traversal vulnerability

> Attackers can read arbitrary files from the filesystem via directory traversal in the Zola development server.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Aug 2023
- **Updated:** 9 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xvv9-5j67-3rpq

## What is CVE-2023-40274?

CVE-2023-40274 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in zola 0.13.0 through 0.17.2. The custom implementation of a web server, available via the "zola serve" command, allows directory traversal. The handle_request function, used by the server to process HTTP requests, does not account for sequences of special path control characters (../) in the URL when serving a file, which allows one to escape the webroot of the server and read arbitrary files from the filesystem.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-40274?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including zola. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zola` | crates.io | From 0.13.0 to 0.17.2 | None |
| `zola` | crates.io | From 0.13.0 to 0.17.2 | None |

Products: Getzola Zola.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-40274?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-40274 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-40274 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-40274 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-40274 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-40274 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Aug 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-40274 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- zola (crates.io): affected from 0.13.0 up to 0.17.2; no fix listed
- zola (crates.io): affected from 0.13.0 up to 0.17.2; no fix listed

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-2023-40274/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40274/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-40274
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-40274
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-40274

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40274/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.