The Metasploit Framework post module post/apple_ios/gather/ios_image_gather is affected by a relative path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22). The module interpolates file names taken from a Meterpreter directory listing — data fully controlled by a hostile or tampered iOS device — directly into the local destination path passed to client.fs.file.download_file(), with no sanitization. The underlying stdapi sink (lib/rex/post/meterpreter/extensions/stdapi/fs/file.rb) writes to whatever path is supplied, so a listing entry such as ../../msfconsole.rc escapes the intended ~/.msf4/loot/<random> directory and overwrites ~/.msf4/msfconsole.rc, a resource file that every msfconsole invocation automatically executes at startup (lib/msf/ui/console/driver.rb:196). An attacker-controlled device that lures an operator into running this gather module achieves an arbitrary file write as the operator; because the written msfconsole.rc can load a second written file (a Ruby plugin whose top-level code runs on require), this converts into persistent code execution and an interactive shell as the operator (frequently root) on the pentester's workstation at the next console launch. The same traversal was previously fixed upstream in the recursive downloader (stdapi/fs/dir.rb scrubs separators); this module omitted the equivalent scrub. The fix applies the same separator scrub (or File.basename) to listing entries before building the local path.
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Advisories
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Fixes
Solution
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/releases/tag/6.5.5
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The Metasploit Framework post module post/apple_ios/gather/ios_image_gather is affected by a relative path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22). The module interpolates file names taken from a Meterpreter directory listing — data fully controlled by a hostile or tampered iOS device — directly into the local destination path passed to client.fs.file.download_file(), with no sanitization. The underlying stdapi sink (lib/rex/post/meterpreter/extensions/stdapi/fs/file.rb) writes to whatever path is supplied, so a listing entry such as ../../msfconsole.rc escapes the intended ~/.msf4/loot/<random> directory and overwrites ~/.msf4/msfconsole.rc, a resource file that every msfconsole invocation automatically executes at startup (lib/msf/ui/console/driver.rb:196). An attacker-controlled device that lures an operator into running this gather module achieves an arbitrary file write as the operator; because the written msfconsole.rc can load a second written file (a Ruby plugin whose top-level code runs on require), this converts into persistent code execution and an interactive shell as the operator (frequently root) on the pentester's workstation at the next console launch. The same traversal was previously fixed upstream in the recursive downloader (stdapi/fs/dir.rb scrubs separators); this module omitted the equivalent scrub. The fix applies the same separator scrub (or File.basename) to listing entries before building the local path. | |
| Title | Metasploit Framework ios_image_gather Path Traversal Leading to Arbitrary File Write and Code Execution | |
| Weaknesses | CWE-22 | |
| References |
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| Metrics |
cvssV3_1
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Projects
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Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: rapid7
Published:
Updated: 2026-10-12T04:50:56.020Z
Reserved: 2026-09-08T23:15:36.929Z
Link: CVE-2026-87690
No data.
Status : Received
Published: 2026-10-12T05:17:03.250
Modified: 2026-10-12T05:17:03.250
Link: CVE-2026-87690
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
Updated: 2026-10-12T06:45:07Z
Weaknesses