# CVE-2023-4480: Arbitrary File Read in Fusion File Manager

> An attacker can read arbitrary files and write files to arbitrary locations in PHPFusion via a vulnerable file manager component.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 26 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gp6g-v2w2-6g56

## What is CVE-2023-4480?

CVE-2023-4480 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in PHPFusion, published on 5 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Due to an out-of-date dependency in the “Fusion File Manager” component accessible through the admin panel, an attacker can send a crafted request that allows them to read the contents of files on the system accessible within the privileges of the running process. Additionally, they may write files to arbitrary locations, provided the files pass the application’s mime-type and file extension validation.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-538 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-4480?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php-Fusion Phpfusion.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-4480?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-4480 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-4480 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-4480 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in PHPFusion

- [CVE-2022-3152](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3152/): Unverified Password Change in phpfusion/phpfusion (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2020-23754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-23754/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2023-2453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2453/): Local file Inclusion (LFI) in Forum Infusion via Directory Traversal (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-37137](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-37137/): PHP-Fusion 9.03.50 - 'panels.php' Eval Injection (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2021-40188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40188/): File upload in n/a (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-4480 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-4480 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in PHPFusion, published on 5 Sep 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-4480 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PHPFusion. 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-2023-4480/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4480/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-4480
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4480
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-4480

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-4480/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.