CVE-2023-53962
Unauthenticated Directory Traversal in SOUND4 upload.cgi Allows Arbitrary File Write
Publication date: 2025-12-22
Last updated on: 2025-12-22
Assigner: VulnCheck
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| sound4 | impact | * |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-22 | The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2023-53962 is an unauthenticated directory traversal vulnerability in SOUND4 IMPACT/FIRST/PULSE/Eco version 2.x and related products. It allows remote attackers to write arbitrary files to unintended system locations by exploiting the 'upgfile' parameter in the upload.cgi or 'filename' parameter in upgrade.php. Attackers send specially crafted multipart form-data POST requests containing directory traversal sequences to bypass restrictions and write files without any authentication. [1, 2, 4]
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can allow remote attackers to write arbitrary files to any location on the affected system without authentication. This can lead to unauthorized modification or overwriting of critical system files, potentially compromising system integrity and security. Attackers could use this to execute malicious code, disrupt services, or gain further access to the system. The vulnerability has a high severity score (CVSS 8.8) indicating a significant risk. [1, 2, 4]
How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
This vulnerability can be detected by monitoring for suspicious multipart/form-data POST requests to the /cgi-bin/upload.cgi or upgrade.php endpoints containing directory traversal sequences in the 'upgfile' or 'filename' parameters. For example, you can use network traffic analysis tools like tcpdump or Wireshark to capture HTTP POST requests and grep for patterns such as '../../../../' in the payload. A sample command to detect such attempts in captured traffic could be: tcpdump -A -s 0 'tcp port 80' | grep -i 'upgfile' | grep '\.\./' or using web server logs, search for POST requests to upload.cgi or upgrade.php with suspicious filename parameters containing '../'. [1, 4]
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
Immediate mitigation steps include restricting access to the vulnerable upload.cgi and upgrade.php endpoints, applying input validation to sanitize and block directory traversal sequences in the 'upgfile' or 'filename' parameters, and updating or patching the SOUND4 IMPACT/FIRST/PULSE/Eco software to a version where this vulnerability is fixed. Additionally, monitoring and blocking suspicious POST requests at the network perimeter and disabling unnecessary services can reduce exposure. [1, 2, 4]