CVE-2020-36197Public exploit

Arbitrary file creation via arttype path traversal

Published May 13, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Path traversal in QNAP Music Station allows remote attackers on an adjacent network to create arbitrary files as root. The upload.php endpoint uses the unvalidated arttype request parameter as a filename prefix when moving an uploaded image, allowing directory traversal outside its temporary upload path. Authentication is not required; direct impact is root-context file creation with a generated suffix, while command execution requires a separate vulnerable MalwareRemover chain.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability18.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in QNAP Music Station allows remote attackers on an adjacent network to create arbitrary files as root. The upload.php endpoint uses the unvalidated arttype request parameter as a filename prefix when moving an uploaded image, allowing directory traversal outside its temporary upload path. Authentication is not required; direct impact is root-context file creation with a generated suffix, while command execution requires a separate vulnerable MalwareRemover chain.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-36197
Published
May 13, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Linn Products Limited
Product
Music Station
Classifications
CWE-22, CWE-284, T1190
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <5.1.14
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <5.2.10
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <5.3.16

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Linn Products Limited · Music Stationversion=unspecified <5.1.14; version=unspecified <5.2.10; version=unspecified <5.3.16

Published CVSS scores

8.8NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.8NISTAV:A/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.1QNAP Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-284Improper Access Control
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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