CVE-2020-36559: Path Traversal in aahframe.work
Summary
CVE-2020-36559: Path Traversal in aahframe.work. Affects aahframe.work versions < 0.12.4. Fixed in 0.12.4. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
The same CVE-2020-36559 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
aahframe.work is a Go package that provides a framework for building web applications. It includes features such as routing, middleware, and request handling. The package is designed to be easy to use and provides a high level of abstraction for web development. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in the package that allows for path traversal attacks. This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to read files outside of the target directory that the server has permission to read.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in aahframe.work is due to improper sanitization of user input in the HTTPEngine.Handle function. This allows an attacker to manipulate the input and traverse directories, accessing files that should be restricted. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or execute arbitrary code on the server. It is important to note that this vulnerability only affects versions of aahframe.work prior to 0.12.4.
How To Fix
Latest published version: v0.12.5 as of 23 Oct 2026
go get aahframe.work@v0.12.5Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.12.4
This is the first release that contains the fix.
go get aahframe.work@v0.12.4Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If updating to the latest version of aahframe.work is not immediately possible, a temporary workaround can be implemented by adding additional input validation and sanitization checks in the application code. Specifically, any user input that is used in file operations or directory traversal should be carefully validated and restricted to prevent unauthorized access. Here is an example of how to implement input validation in Go:
import (
"path/filepath"
"strings"
)
func sanitizePath(input string) (string, error) {
// Normalize the path
path := filepath.Clean(input)
// Ensure the path is within the target directory
if !strings.HasPrefix(path, "/path/to/target/directory") {
return "", errors.New("Invalid path")
}
return path, nil
}
This code snippet demonstrates how to sanitize a path input by normalizing it and checking if it has the expected prefix. Developers should adapt this code to their specific application and ensure that all user input is properly validated and sanitized.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the aahframe.work package is vulnerable to a path traversal attack due to improper sanitization of user input. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files and potential code execution on the server. It is crucial for developers to update to version 0.12.4 or later of aahframe.work to mitigate this vulnerability. If immediate update is not possible, implementing proper input validation and sanitization checks can serve as a temporary workaround. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for aahframe.work →
FAQ
A path traversal vulnerability, also known as directory traversal, allows an attacker to access files or directories outside of the intended scope. This can occur when user input is not properly validated or sanitized, allowing malicious input to manipulate file paths and access restricted resources.
By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can read sensitive files on the server that should be restricted. This can include configuration files, user data, or other confidential information. In some cases, an attacker may also be able to execute arbitrary code on the server, leading to full compromise of the system.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your Gopkg.lock file and the playground will analyze your dependencies and alert you if any known vulnerabilities, including this one, are present.
Yes, a fix is available for this vulnerability. It is recommended to update to version 0.12.4 or later of aahframe.work. This version includes proper input validation and sanitization to prevent path traversal attacks.
If updating to the latest version of aahframe.work is not immediately possible, you can implement a temporary workaround by adding additional input validation and sanitization checks in your application code. See the 'workaround' section above for more details.
