CVE-2026-1020: Police Statistics Database Path Traversal

CVE-2026-1020 Overview

The Police Statistics Database System developed by Gotac contains an Absolute Path Traversal vulnerability (CWE-36) that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to enumerate system file directories. This vulnerability enables malicious actors to access sensitive file system information without requiring any authentication credentials, potentially exposing critical system paths and file structures.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can enumerate system file directories, potentially revealing sensitive file paths and system structure information that could be leveraged for further attacks.

Affected Products

• Police Statistics Database System (Gotac)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-16 - CVE-2026-1020 published to NVD
• 2026-01-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-1020

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as Absolute Path Traversal (CWE-36), which occurs when an application improperly handles user-supplied path input, allowing attackers to access files and directories outside the intended scope. In this case, the Police Statistics Database System fails to properly validate or sanitize path inputs, enabling remote attackers to enumerate system file directories without authentication.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means attackers can exploit it remotely without any user interaction required. The primary impact is the exposure of confidential file system information, which could reveal system architecture details, installed software, configuration file locations, and other sensitive data that could facilitate more sophisticated follow-up attacks.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the Police Statistics Database System. The application fails to properly sanitize or validate file path parameters, allowing attackers to specify absolute paths that traverse the file system structure. This type of weakness typically occurs when path input is directly concatenated or used without proper canonicalization and boundary checks.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2026-1020 is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can remotely submit crafted requests containing absolute path references to the vulnerable application. By manipulating path parameters, the attacker can enumerate directories and potentially discover sensitive file locations on the target system.

The exploitation involves sending specially crafted HTTP requests with manipulated path parameters that bypass intended directory restrictions. When the application processes these malicious inputs, it inadvertently exposes information about the file system structure to the attacker. For detailed technical information, refer to the TWCERT Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-1020

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing absolute path references such as /etc/, /var/, C:\Windows\, or similar system directories
• Web server logs showing repeated directory enumeration attempts with systematic path exploration patterns
• Requests containing path traversal sequences alongside absolute paths targeting system-level directories

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block requests containing suspicious absolute path patterns
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on path traversal attempt signatures targeting the Police Statistics Database System
• Monitor application logs for unusual file access patterns or directory enumeration activity from external IP addresses

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the Police Statistics Database System to capture all file path access attempts
• Set up real-time alerting for requests targeting sensitive system directories from unauthenticated sessions
• Regularly review access logs for patterns indicating automated directory enumeration or reconnaissance activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-1020

Immediate Actions Required

• Contact Gotac to obtain the latest security patch or updated version of the Police Statistics Database System
• Implement strict network access controls to limit exposure of the application to trusted networks only
• Deploy a web application firewall with rules specifically configured to block path traversal attempts

Patch Information

Administrators should consult the TWCERT Security Advisory and TWCERT Incident Report for official remediation guidance from the Taiwan CERT. Contact Gotac directly for vendor-specific patch information and updates to address this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the Police Statistics Database System to trusted internal networks using firewall rules
• Implement reverse proxy or WAF rules to filter and sanitize all path-related parameters before they reach the application
• Consider taking the application offline or restricting access until an official patch is available from the vendor

# Example WAF rule to block absolute path traversal attempts
# Block requests containing common system path references
# Implement in your web application firewall configuration
# Block patterns: /etc/, /var/, /usr/, /proc/, /sys/, C:\, D:\
# Consult your specific WAF documentation for implementation syntax