Description

A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of HPE Networking Fabric Composer could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to view some system files. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to read files within the affected directory.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "5.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-01T20:17:21.217Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-01T20:17:21.217Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A path traversal vulnerability exists within the web-based management interface of HPE Networking Fabric Composer, which permits an unauthenticated remote attacker to gain unauthorized read access to sensitive system files.\nThe vulnerability resides in the interface's handling of user-supplied input when accessing directory-based resources, failing to properly sanitize paths.\nAn attacker can exploit this flaw without authentication by crafting malicious requests that escape the intended web root directory, enabling the retrieval of arbitrary files stored on the underlying file system.\nThe impact includes the potential disclosure of configuration data, credentials, or other system-level information, significantly compromising the confidentiality of the affected device.\nThis vulnerability presents a high risk due to the lack of required authentication, allowing any remote user with network access to the management interface to perform unauthorized file system enumeration and extraction.\nExploitation does not require elevated privileges, making it a critical vector for reconnaissance and further system compromise.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is a path traversal flaw (CWE-22) originating from improper validation and sanitization of input parameters within the web-based management interface of HPE Networking Fabric Composer.\nThe root cause lies in the application's failure to adequately enforce boundary checks when processing requests that involve file system paths. When the interface handles resource requests, it does not sufficiently neutralize special characters such as '../' (dot-dot-slash) sequences.\nThe attack flow commences when an unauthenticated remote attacker sends a specifically crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable web component. By injecting path traversal sequences into URI parameters or path segments processed by the application, the attacker forces the underlying web server or backend service to resolve file paths outside of the intended web root.\nBecause the web application executes the file retrieval request with the permissions of the web service process, the attacker can traverse the directory structure to access sensitive configuration files, logs, or system files residing on the host operating system.\nThe network exposure is defined by the accessibility of the management interface over the network. Since no authentication is required to interact with this vulnerable entry point, any entity capable of reaching the management interface port can initiate the traversal attack.\nSuccessful exploitation does not necessitate prior knowledge of the internal system architecture, as attackers can perform trial-and-error directory traversal to map the target file system and exfiltrate information iteratively.\nPost-exploitation, the disclosed information could be utilized to facilitate deeper penetration, such as discovering service account credentials, environment variables, or sensitive infrastructure configuration details that could lead to a total system compromise.\nThe vulnerability underscores a critical failure in the input validation layer of the web management console, where the interface logic trusts the integrity of the provided file paths without applying necessary canonicalization or path normalization techniques to prevent directory escape."
}