Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-30943

Path Traversal in Fedoraproject Fedora 36 … 38

Path Traversal
Published
02 May 2023
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 6.5
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS Score 0.066 93th percentile
Risk Priority 65 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-30943 is a medium-severity External Control of File Name or Path (CWE-73) vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora. Its CVSS base score is 6.5 (Medium).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

The vulnerability affects Moodle and stems from improper handling of folder paths in TinyMCE loaders, where user input can control the destination directory. This allows creation of arbitrary folders via external control of file paths, tracked under CWE-73 and CWE-610, with a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.5 reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, and high integrity impact without requiring authentication.

A remote attacker can exploit the flaw by sending a specially crafted HTTP request that manipulates the folder creation path in the TinyMCE component. Successful exploitation enables the attacker to create arbitrary directories on the underlying system, potentially facilitating further unauthorized modifications or preparation for additional attacks, though user interaction is required per the CVSS metrics.

Advisories reference a Moodle git commit addressing MDL-77718 along with Red Hat and Fedora package updates that distribute the necessary patches to affected installations. These updates are available through standard distribution channels to remediate the path control issue. The associated EPSS score has remained stable near 0.26 with no material increase after disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 InjectionA06:2025 Insecure Design

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The vulnerability was found Moodle which exists because the application allows a user to control path of the older to create in TinyMCE loaders. A remote user can send a specially crafted HTTP request and create arbitrary folders on the…

more

system.

CWE(s)
CWE-73CWE-610

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
attack.mitre.org →
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1574.007 Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking environment variables used to load libraries.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-30944Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5545Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5542Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5550Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5540Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5551Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5539Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5543Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5549Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux
CVE-2023-5548Same product: Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux

Affected Assets

moodle
moodle
4.1.0 — 4.1.3
fedoraproject
extra packages for enterprise linux
7.0
fedoraproject
fedora
36, 37, 38

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-73

Rejects externally supplied file or resource identifiers that fail validity checks.

SI-22 Information Diversity
addresses: CWE-610

Limits impact of an externally controlled reference to a primary information resource by switching to an identified alternative.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 full match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices include input validation and path sanitization that eliminate this weakness.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Least-privilege file authorization directly limits damage from externally controlled paths.

DE.CM-09 partial match
prevents

Runtime monitoring of software and data flows can detect anomalous external resource accesses that result from this weakness.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Network segmentation and access controls limit the blast radius when an external reference escapes its intended sphere.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing can detect path-traversal issues but does not itself implement preventive controls.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and path-handling controls that directly prevent external file/path manipulation.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against untrusted input influencing file operations.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles discourage unsafe path construction but do not prescribe concrete file-name controls.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards require canonicalization, allow-listing, and bounds checks on file paths, directly eliminating CWE-73.

A.8.3 Information access restriction partial match
mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files can be reached, indirectly reducing impact of path manipulation.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-610

References