Executive brief
ATutor is an open-source learning management system used to host online courses and educational content. When the AT_FORCE_GET_FILE configuration option is enabled, a path traversal vulnerability allows authenticated users to access course files they should not have permission to view, exposing sensitive educational materials and revealing the server's filesystem structure.
Technical details
This is a path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22) in ATutor's file access mechanism when AT_FORCE_GET_FILE is enabled. An authenticated user can bypass directory restrictions by crafting requests with path traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to access files from other course directories. The vulnerability requires authentication and the AT_FORCE_GET_FILE configuration option to be enabled. An attacker can read arbitrary course files they should not have access to, and gain information about the server's filesystem layout. The product is no longer actively maintained and no patches are available; version 2.2.4 is confirmed vulnerable.
Affected products
- ATutor ATutor 2.2.4 (confirmed; other versions untested but likely vulnerable)
Timeline
- 2026-08-20: disclosed