Description

An authenticated Path Traversal vulnerability exists in AOS-CX. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to read arbitrary files from the web-based management interface of the underlying operating system, which could lead to remote unauthorized access to files.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "6.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-01T21:18:42.737Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-01T21:18:42.737Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is identified as an authenticated Path Traversal flaw residing within the AOS-CX web-based management interface. The vulnerability allows a remote, authenticated attacker to bypass intended directory restrictions, facilitating unauthorized read access to arbitrary files located on the underlying operating system's filesystem.\nThe root of the issue lies in the improper sanitization of user-supplied input paths during HTTP requests. By manipulating path parameters with directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../), an attacker can access sensitive configuration files, cryptographic material, or system artifacts residing outside the web application's root directory.\nThe risk implication is significant, as successful exploitation results in a loss of confidentiality. An attacker could potentially retrieve sensitive system data that enables further exploitation, such as credential harvesting or internal network reconnaissance. The attack requires the adversary to possess valid authentication credentials for the management interface. Organizations utilizing AOS-CX should prioritize restricting access to the management plane and applying vendor-supplied security updates immediately upon availability to mitigate unauthorized information disclosure.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is a classic Path Traversal (CWE-22) issue within the AOS-CX web management framework. It occurs when the application accepts user-supplied input to define the path of a file to be retrieved or served without adequate validation or canonicalization. In this specific implementation, the web interface fails to perform strict boundary checks on parameters utilized in file-read operations.\nThe attack flow initiates with the attacker authenticating to the AOS-CX web management interface using legitimate credentials. Once authorized, the attacker crafts a malicious HTTP GET request targeting the vulnerable endpoint responsible for retrieving system or application files. By injecting dot-dot-slash (../) sequences into the path variable, the attacker forces the application’s file system API to resolve to a target location outside the intended web root directory. Because the application logic does not properly neutralize these sequences, the underlying operating system executes the read operation at the directory depth specified by the attacker.\nThe vulnerable component is the web-based management service within AOS-CX. The exploitation does not require advanced memory corruption techniques; it is a direct manipulation of input parameters passed to the file system handler. Post-exploitation, an attacker can traverse the file system hierarchy to gain access to files that would typically be restricted by web-server permissions or application-level access controls.\nThe impact of this vulnerability is severe due to the potential for an attacker to escalate their access or acquire sensitive information that could lead to full system compromise. For instance, accessing configuration files may reveal hardcoded service credentials, API keys, or infrastructure-specific configuration details. Since the attack is performed through the management interface, it is reachable over the network wherever the management interface is exposed. Organizations must ensure that the management interface is not exposed to untrusted segments of the network and employ rigorous access control lists to limit the number of authenticated users who can interact with the management services."
}