Path Traversal in Zkteco Biotime (CVE-2023-38951)
Summary
Path traversal in Zkteco Biotime (CVE-2023-38951). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
ZKTeco BioTime 8.5.5 through 9.x before 9.0.1 (20240617.19506) allows authenticated attackers to create or overwrite arbitrary files on the server via crafted requests to /base/sftpsetting/ endpoints that abuse a path traversal issue in the Username field and a lack of input sanitization on the SSH Key field. Overwriting specific files may lead to arbitrary code execution as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM.
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-38951 has been found in Zkteco Biotime.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 9.8/10.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "Zkteco Biotime CVE-2023-38951" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2023-38951 (Zkteco Biotime) — CWE-22 / CVSS v3 9.8
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Path traversal (CWE-22) exists in Zkteco Biotime.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of Zkteco Biotime.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'Biotime' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'Biotime' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
Biotimeを grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
References
- advisory claroty.com
- web cve@mitre.org
- web cve@mitre.org
- web cve@mitre.org
- web cve@mitre.org
- web sploitus.com