Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-40494

Critical

Published: 03 May 2024

Published
03 May 2024
Modified
04 April 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 9.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.3985 97.4th percentile
Risk Priority 42 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2023-40494 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Lg Simple Editor. Its CVSS base score is 9.1 (Critical).

Operationally, ranked in the top 2.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis

CVE-2023-40494 is a directory traversal vulnerability in LG Simple Editor that permits arbitrary file deletion. The flaw resides in the deleteFolder method, which fails to validate a user-supplied path before performing file operations, allowing an attacker to supply a crafted path that results in deletion of arbitrary files on the affected installation.

Remote, unauthenticated attackers can exploit the issue over the network to delete files in the context of the SYSTEM account, producing high impact to integrity and availability with no required user interaction. The vulnerability was reported as ZDI-CAN-19921 and carries a CVSS score of 9.1. The associated EPSS score has remained flat at its peak value of 0.3985 with no material increase observed after disclosure.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

LG Simple Editor deleteFolder Directory Traversal Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to delete arbitrary files on affected installations of LG Simple Editor. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the…

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deleteFolder method. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to delete files in the context of SYSTEM. . Was ZDI-CAN-19921.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

lg
simple editor
3.21.0

Mitigating Controls

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.

addresses: CWE-22

Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.

References