# CVE-2024-55602: PenDoc vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read on updating and downloading templates using Path Traversal

> Authenticated users can read arbitrary system files by injecting path traversal sequences into template file extensions in PwnDoc.

- **Severity:** High 7.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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:** 10 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 10 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2mqc-gg7h-76p6

## What is CVE-2024-55602?

CVE-2024-55602 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in pwndoc, published on 10 Dec 2024. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PwnDoc is a penetration test report generator. Prior to commit 1d4219c596f4f518798492e48386a20c6e9a2fe6, an authenticated user who is able to update and download templates can inject path traversal (`../`) sequences into the file extension property to read arbitrary files on the system. Commit 1d4219c596f4f518798492e48386a20c6e9a2fe6 contains a patch for the issue.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-55602?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pwndoc Project Pwndoc.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-55602?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-55602 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-55602 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-55602 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in pwndoc

- [CVE-2022-45771](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45771/): File upload in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-31590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31590/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-23044](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23044/): Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) allows creating admin account with POST request (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2025-27410](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27410/): PwnDoc Arbitrary File Write to RCE using Path Traversal in backup restore as admin (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2025-27413](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27413/): PwnDoc Arbitrary File Write to RCE using Path Traversal in template update from backup templates.json (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-55602 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-55602 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in pwndoc, published on 10 Dec 2024. 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-2024-55602 exists.

Affected product: pwndoc. 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-2024-55602/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55602/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-55602
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-55602
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-55602

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55602/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.