CVE-2023-38950 ZKTeco BioTime: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jun 9, 2025
What to do
- Install ZKTeco's security update for BioTime. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- ZKTeco BioTime Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- ZKTeco BioTime
- CISA description
- ZKTeco BioTime contains a path traversal vulnerability in the iclock API that allows an unauthenticated attacker to read arbitrary files via supplying a crafted payload.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- May 19, 2025
- US federal patch deadline
- Jun 9, 2025
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Answering about CVE-2023-38950 ·
Questions about CVE-2023-38950
Is CVE-2023-38950 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2023-38950 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 19, 2025, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2023-38950?
Install ZKTeco's security update for BioTime. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2023-38950?
Only if you use ZKTeco BioTime. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.