CVE-2023-6569 in h2o-3
Summary
by MITRE • 12/14/2023
External Control of File Name or Path in h2oai/h2o-3
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2026
The vulnerability identified in the h2oai/h2o-3 project represents a critical security flaw categorized under external control of file name or path, which aligns with CWE-73 and falls within the broader category of path traversal attacks. This vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is directly incorporated into file system operations without proper validation or sanitization, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate file paths and access unauthorized resources. The h2o-3 machine learning platform, designed for distributed data processing and model training, exposes this weakness through its handling of file references during data ingestion and model serialization processes.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves an attacker providing malicious input that bypasses normal file path validation mechanisms. When the system processes user-defined file paths or names, it fails to properly sanitize or validate these inputs before using them in file system calls. This allows adversaries to craft inputs that can traverse directory structures, access files outside of intended directories, or even overwrite critical system files. The flaw particularly manifests when the application accepts file paths from external sources without implementing robust input validation controls, creating a direct pathway for path traversal attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it can enable more sophisticated attack vectors including data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and potential system compromise. An attacker could leverage this weakness to read sensitive configuration files, access model training data, or manipulate the platform's internal state through crafted file path inputs. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where h2o-3 might be used for processing confidential business data or proprietary machine learning models. This vulnerability can also facilitate lateral movement within networks if the application runs with elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to access additional system resources.
Organizations utilizing h2o-3 should implement immediate mitigations including strict input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied file paths, implementing proper path normalization techniques, and enforcing least privilege principles for application execution. The mitigation strategy should incorporate secure coding practices such as using whitelist validation for acceptable file paths, implementing proper directory traversal checks, and employing secure file handling libraries that prevent path manipulation. Additionally, organizations should consider network segmentation to limit access to h2o-3 instances and implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous file system access patterns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script injection and T1566 for spearphishing attachments, highlighting the potential for broader attack chains when such path traversal vulnerabilities exist in data processing platforms.
The remediation approach should focus on comprehensive code review to identify all instances where external input is used in file system operations, implementing robust validation frameworks that prevent directory traversal attempts, and establishing secure coding standards specifically for file handling components. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify the effectiveness of implemented controls. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in distributed data processing platforms where user inputs can directly influence system behavior and resource access patterns, making it essential for organizations to maintain vigilance against such fundamental security flaws that can compromise entire data pipelines.