CVE-2026-70200 in Azure Logic Apps
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2026
Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Azure Logic Apps allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2026
The vulnerability identified as improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal, represents a critical security flaw within the Microsoft Azure Logic Apps service. This issue stems from insufficient validation and sanitization mechanisms when processing user-supplied input that specifies file paths or resource locations. In a typical web application architecture, including cloud-based workflow engines like Logic Apps, inputs are often used to construct filesystem references for reading configuration files, accessing logs, or managing temporary data stores. When the system fails to strictly enforce boundaries around these pathnames, it allows an attacker to manipulate the input string using special characters such as dot-dot-slash sequences (../) or encoded variations thereof. This manipulation enables the traversal of directory structures beyond the intended restricted scope, effectively bypassing access controls that are designed to isolate specific application components and data sets from one another.
From a technical perspective, this flaw exploits the way operating systems and runtime environments resolve relative paths against base directories. If an attacker can inject sequences that navigate up the directory tree or redirect execution toward sensitive system areas, they may gain read or write access to files outside of their authorized context. In the specific case of Azure Logic Apps, which orchestrates complex workflows involving multiple services and data sources, such a vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered remotely over a network without requiring prior authentication in certain configurations, or by leveraging compromised credentials with lower privileges. The ability to traverse paths allows an attacker to locate sensitive configuration files, environment variables containing secrets, or internal service endpoints that are not intended for public exposure. This lack of input validation directly contradicts secure coding principles outlined in the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) standard under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, primarily due to its potential for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access. An attacker who successfully exploits this path traversal flaw can potentially read sensitive information stored in the file system, such as connection strings, API keys, or internal service metadata associated with other Azure resources linked within a Logic App workflow. Furthermore, depending on the specific implementation details of how files are handled, there may be risks associated with writing malicious content to accessible locations, which could lead to further exploitation vectors like server-side request forgery (SSRF) if those files are subsequently processed by internal services. The ability to elevate privileges over a network means that an attacker can transition from a low-privileged state or unauthenticated access to a position where they have significant control over the underlying infrastructure components managed by Logic Apps, potentially leading to complete compromise of the tenant's workflow automation environment.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must ensure that their Azure Logic Apps configurations adhere to strict security baselines provided by Microsoft and industry standards such as the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks. Immediate remediation involves applying any available patches or updates released by Microsoft that address the input validation logic within the affected service components. Additionally, developers should implement defense-in-depth strategies, including rigorous input sanitization where all user-supplied path segments are validated against a whitelist of allowed characters and directories rather than relying solely on blacklist approaches for dangerous sequences like ../. Utilizing managed identities to restrict permissions so that Logic Apps have only the minimum necessary access rights can also limit the blast radius if an exploitation attempt occurs. Regular security assessments, including penetration testing focused on input validation flaws, are essential to identify similar weaknesses in custom workflows or integrated applications before they can be leveraged by malicious actors.