CVE-2026-92197 in Foglight for Databases
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2026
Quest Foglight for Databases unzipFile Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Quest Foglight for Databases. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
The specific flaw exists within the unzipFile method. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-29901.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2026
The identified security flaw resides within Quest Foglight for Databases, specifically affecting the unzipFile method which is responsible for handling archive extraction operations. This component suffers from a critical directory traversal vulnerability due to insufficient validation of user-supplied path inputs before they are utilized in file system operations. The core technical deficiency lies in the application's failure to sanitize or canonicalize the input paths provided by the client, allowing an attacker to manipulate the intended destination directory through the use of relative path sequences such as dot-dot-slash characters. By injecting these maliciously crafted strings into the request parameters associated with the unzipFile function, a remote authenticated user can force the application to write files outside of the designated secure upload or extraction directories. This lack of strict input validation represents a fundamental breakdown in security controls designed to contain file operations within expected boundaries, thereby exposing the underlying operating system's file structure to unauthorized manipulation and access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it facilitates remote code execution with elevated privileges. Since Quest Foglight for Databases typically runs as a service under high-privilege accounts such as SYSTEM on Windows environments or root on Linux systems, successfully exploiting this directory traversal allows an attacker to place malicious executable files into system directories that are subsequently executed by the application process itself. This results in arbitrary code execution within the context of the most privileged user account available on the host machine. Consequently, a compromised instance grants full control over the affected server, enabling attackers to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive database credentials stored within the Foglight configuration files, pivot into other network segments, or disrupt critical database monitoring and management operations. The requirement for authentication does not mitigate this risk significantly in enterprise environments where legitimate users may have varying levels of access that can be abused by insider threats or compromised user accounts.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory and CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection). The exploitation technique maps directly to the ATT&CK framework techniques related to Command and Scripting Interpreter execution via file system artifacts. Attackers typically leverage this flaw by crafting specific HTTP requests that include path traversal sequences within the parameters passed to the unzipFile endpoint, followed by triggering the execution of a pre-placed payload such as a JSP shell or executable script located in a web-accessible directory created through the traversal. This process allows for persistent access and further lateral movement within the target infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution is to apply the official patch provided by Quest Software, which addresses the input validation logic within the unzipFile method to ensure that all file paths are strictly validated against a whitelist of allowed directories or properly canonicalized before use. In addition to applying vendor patches, administrators should enforce strict least-privilege principles for the service account running Foglight, ensuring it does not operate with SYSTEM-level privileges unless absolutely necessary and even then restricted by operating system security policies such as Windows Defender Application Control or SELinux contexts. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to the Foglight management interface only from trusted administrative subnets, reducing the attack surface for authenticated exploitation. Furthermore, implementing Web Application Firewall rules that detect and block common directory traversal patterns can provide an additional layer of defense-in-depth while patching efforts are underway. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on file handling operations are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future updates or custom integrations.