# CVE-2023-53944: EasyPHP Webserver 14.1 Path Traversal via Directory Traversal Sequences

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary system files outside the document root by exploiting directory traversal sequences in EasyPHP Webserver.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8c7w-wmmg-f7mj

## What is CVE-2023-53944?

CVE-2023-53944 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in EasyPHP Webserver, published on 18 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

EasyPHP Webserver 14.1 contains a path traversal vulnerability that allows remote users with low privileges to access files outside the document root by bypassing SecurityManager restrictions. Attackers can send GET requests with encoded directory traversal sequences like /..%5c..%5c to read system files such as /windows/win.ini.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53944?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Easyphp Webserver.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53944?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-53944 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-53944 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53944 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in EasyPHP Webserver

- [CVE-2023-3767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-3767/): OS command injection on EasyPHP Webserver (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-53941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53941/): EasyPHP Webserver 14.1 Remote Code Execution (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2024-11215](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11215/): Path traversal vulnerability in EasyPHP (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53944 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53944 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in EasyPHP Webserver, published on 18 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53944 exists.

Affected product: EasyPHP Webserver. 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-2023-53944/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53944/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53944
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53944
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53944

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53944/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.