CVE-2023-21415
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedSandro Poppi, member of the AXIS OS Bug Bounty Program, has found that the VAPIX API overlay_del.cgi is vulnerable to path traversal attacks that allows for file deletion. This flaw can only be exploited after authenticating with an operator- or administrator-privileged service account. Axis has released patched AXIS OS versions for the highlighted flaw. Please refer to the Axis security advisory for more information and solution.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe VAPIX API overlay_del.cgi endpoint in AXIS OS devices contains a path traversal vulnerability allowing authenticated operators or administrators to delete arbitrary files on the filesystem by manipulating file paths in the request.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data>= 6.50.5.3, < 6.50.5.14>= 11.0.81, < 11.6.94>= 6.50.2, < 6.50.5.2< 8.40.35< 9.80.47< 10.12.206CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the device and obtain the Axis OS versionAccess the device web interface or query the VAPIX API (e.g., GET http://<device>/axis-cgi/basicdeviceinfo.cgi) to retrieve the OS version. Alternatively, check the device/system info page in the web UI.Affected if The installed Axis OS version falls within any of these ranges: >= 6.50.5.3 and < 6.50.5.14; >= 11.0.81 and < 11.6.94; >= 6.50.2 and < 6.50.5.2 (2016); < 8.40.35 (2018); < 9.80.47 (2020); < 10.12.206 (2022).
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Confirm the VAPIX API is exposedVerify that the device has the VAPIX API endpoint accessible (typically on HTTP/HTTPS ports 80/443 or 8080). Attempt to reach a known VAPIX endpoint such as http://<device>/axis-cgi/ or check if the web interface responds.Affected if The VAPIX API interface is reachable from the network where an attacker could send requests.
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Verify operator or administrator accounts existCheck the device user configuration through the web interface under Settings > Users or by querying the VAPIX API user list if accessible. Identify if any operator-level or administrator-level accounts are configured.Affected if One or more operator or administrator accounts are enabled on the device, providing the authentication level required to exploit the path traversal flaw.
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Test for overlay_del.cgi endpoint accessibilityIf authenticated access is available, attempt a request to the overlay_del.cgi endpoint (e.g., GET/POST to http://<device>/vapix/overlay_del.cgi) to confirm the endpoint exists and is reachable.Affected if The overlay_del.cgi endpoint responds, indicating the vulnerable feature is present on the device.
The device is affected if it runs a vulnerable Axis OS version within the specified ranges, has the VAPIX API accessible, and has operator or administrator accounts configured that could be leveraged to exploit the path traversal in overlay_del.cgi.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped6.50.5.26.50.5.148.40.35
Apply the AXIS OS security patches released by Axis for affected devices. Ensure all operator- and administrator-level service accounts are reviewed and credentials are rotated after patching.
Axis OS version 6.50.5.14 or 11.6.94 (main track), 6.50.5.2+ (2016), 8.40.35+ (2018), 9.80.47+ (2020), or 10.12.206+ (2022) depending on device track
- 1. Identify the current Axis OS version running on the affected device via the web interface or VAPIX API
- 2. Determine which Axis OS track the device is on (e.g., Axis OS 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, or main track)
- 3. Access the Axis device web interface with administrator credentials
- 4. Navigate to System > Maintenance > Upgrade
- 5. Download the appropriate patched Axis OS version from the Axis website (www.axis.com) matching your track: for Axis OS main track upgrade to 6.50.5.14 or 11.6.94+, for Axis OS 2016 upgrade to 6.50.5.2+, for Axis OS 2018 upgrade to 8.40.35+, for Axis OS 2020 upgrade to 9.80.47+, for Axis OS 2022 upgrade to 10.12.206+
- 6. Upload and install the patched Axis OS firmware via the upgrade interface
- 7. Verify the device is running the patched version after reboot
- 8. Confirm the vulnerability is remediated by reviewing the Axis security advisory
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-21415 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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