CVE-2020-4240Network attack vector

Unauthenticated arbitrary file write via path traversal

Published Mar 31, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Path traversal in IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 allows remote attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via crafted URLs. The Administrative Console Framework service fails to validate a user-supplied path before using it in file operations, allowing the resolved path to escape its intended directory. No authentication is required, and file operations run in an administrator context, limiting the documented impact to attacker-chosen file creation or overwrite.

CVSS severity4.8
Medium
EPSS probability1.97%
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 IBM Spectrum Protect Plus 10.1.0 through 10.1.5 allows remote attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files via crafted URLs. The Administrative Console Framework service fails to validate a user-supplied path before using it in file operations, allowing the resolved path to escape its intended directory. No authentication is required, and file operations run in an administrator context, limiting the documented impact to attacker-chosen file creation or overwrite.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-4240
Published
Mar 31, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
IBM
Product
IBM Spectrum Protect Plus
Classifications
CWE-22, CAPEC-126, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=10.1.0
  2. Affected versionversion=10.1.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

IBM · IBM Spectrum Protect Plusversion=10.1.0; version=10.1.5

Published CVSS scores

4.8IBM CorporationCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
6.4NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CAPEC-126Path Traversal
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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