Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
More detail
Many file operations are intended to take place within a restricted directory. By using special elements such as ".." and "/" separators, attackers can escape outside of the restricted location to access files or directories that are elsewhere on the system. One of the most common special elements is the "../" sequence, which in most modern operating systems is interpreted as the parent directory of the current location. This is referred to as relative path traversal. Path traversal also covers the use of absolute pathnames such as "/usr/local/bin" to access unexpected files. This is referred to as absolute path traversal.
How to prevent it (8 mitigations)
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Implementation
Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.
When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."
Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
When validating filenames, use stringent allowlists that limit the character set to be used. If feasible, only allow a single "." character in the filename to avoid weaknesses such as CWE-23, and exclude directory separators such as "/" to avoid CWE-36. Use a list of allowable file extensions, which will help to avoid CWE-434.
Do not rely exclusively on a filtering mechanism that removes potentially dangerous characters. This is equivalent to a denylist, which may be incomplete (CWE-184). For example, filtering "/" is insufficient protection if the filesystem also supports the use of "\" as a directory separator. Another possible error could occur when the filtering is applied in a way that still produces dangerous data (CWE-182). For example, if "../" sequences are removed from the ".../...//" string in a sequential fashion, two instances of "../" would be removed from the original string, but the remaining characters would still form the "../" string.
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Architecture and Design
For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
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Implementation
Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
Use a built-in path canonicalization function (such as realpath() in C) that produces the canonical version of the pathname, which effectively removes ".." sequences and symbolic links (CWE-23, CWE-59). This includes:
- realpath() in C
- getCanonicalPath() in Java
- GetFullPath() in ASP.NET
- realpath() or abs_path() in Perl
- realpath() in PHP
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Architecture and Design
Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid [REF-1482].
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Operation
Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth [REF-1481].
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Architecture and Design, Operation
Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks [REF-76]. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
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Architecture and Design
When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.
For example, ID 1 could map to "inbox.txt" and ID 2 could map to "profile.txt". Features such as the ESAPI AccessReferenceMap [REF-185] provide this capability.
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Architecture and Design, Operation
Run the code in a "jail" or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict which files can be accessed in a particular directory or which commands can be executed by the software.
OS-level examples include the Unix chroot jail, AppArmor, and SELinux. In general, managed code may provide some protection. For example, java.io.FilePermission in the Java SecurityManager allows the software to specify restrictions on file operations.
This may not be a feasible solution, and it only limits the impact to the operating system; the rest of the application may still be subject to compromise.
Be careful to avoid CWE-243 and other weaknesses related to jails.
Source: MITRE CWE-22
242 results · Clear filters · Feed
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Low 1.3
File Station 5
A path traversal vulnerability has been reported to affect File Station 5. If a remote attacker gains a user account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to read the contents of unexpected files or system data. We have already fixed the vulnerability in t…
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Low 1.3
Qsync Central
A path traversal vulnerability has been reported to affect Qsync Central. If a remote attacker gains a user account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to read the contents of unexpected files or system data. We have already fixed the vulnerability in th…
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Low 1.3
File Station 5
A path traversal vulnerability has been reported to affect File Station 6. If a remote attacker gains a user account, they can then exploit the vulnerability to read the contents of unexpected files or system data. We have already fixed the vulnerability in t…
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Low 1.3
Special:GlobalContributions shows edits on wikis the viewer doesn't have access to
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation CheckUser. This vulnerability is associated with program files src/GlobalContributions/GlobalContributionsPager.Php. This issue affects CheckUser: from * before 1.43.4, 1.44.1.
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Low 2.7
Extension:TextExtracts does not check for authorizeRead when returning extracts
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation TextExtracts. This vulnerability is associated with program files includes/ApiQueryExtracts.Php. This issue affects TextExtracts: from * before 1.39.14, 1.43.4, 1.44.1.
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Low 1.1
UserInfoCard: Check that performing user has permission to view log entries for number of past blocks
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation CheckUser. This vulnerability is associated with program files src/Services/CheckUserUserInfoCardService.Php. This issue affects CheckUser: from 7cedd58781d261f110651b6af4f41d2d11ae7309.
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Low 1.2
Watchlist group mode reveals authors of edits with hidden authorship
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation MediaWiki. This vulnerability is associated with program files includes/RecentChanges/EnhancedChangesList.Php. This issue affects MediaWiki: from * before 1.39.14, 1.43.4, 1.44.1.
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Low 0.3
UserInfoCard: Don't allow access to information about users who are suppressed if you don't have suppressor rights
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation CheckUser. This vulnerability is associated with program files src/Api/Rest/Handler/UserInfoHandler.Php. This issue affects CheckUser: from a3dc1bbcc33acbcca6831d6afaccbb1054c93a57, 0584eb2ad564648aa3ce9c555dd044dda02b55f…
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Low 1.7
API list=allpages with maxsize is making really slow queries
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation MediaWiki. This vulnerability is associated with program files includes/api/ApiQueryAllPages.Php. This issue affects MediaWiki: from * before 1.39.14, 1.43.4, 1.44.1.
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Low 2.1
With MultiBlocks enabled and a user who is suppressed via a MultiBlock, a user without 'hideuser' can see the hidden username in the BlockList
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation MediaWiki. This vulnerability is associated with program files includes/specials/pagers/BlockListPager.Php. This issue affects MediaWiki: >= 1.42.0.
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Low 2.3
Autoblocks from global account suppressions are publicly visible
Vulnerability in Wikimedia Foundation MediaWiki. This vulnerability is associated with program files includes/specials/pagers/BlockListPager.Php, includes/api/ApiQueryBlocks.Php. This issue affects MediaWiki: from >= 1.42.0 before 1.39.13, 1.42.7 1.43.2, 1.44…
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Low 2.0
Limited path traversal when installing wheel archives
When pip is installing and extracting a maliciously crafted wheel archive, files may be extracted outside the installation directory. The path traversal is limited to prefixes of the installation directory, thus isn't able to inject or overwrite executable fi…
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Low 2.7
jishenghua jshERP installByPath install path traversal
A vulnerability was found in jishenghua jshERP up to 3.6. The impacted element is the function install of the file /jshERP-boot/plugin/installByPath of the component com.gitee.starblues.integration.operator.DefaultPluginOperator. The manipulation of the argum…
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Low 2.4
D-Link DCS-700L Music File Upload Service setUploadMusic uploadmusic path traversal
A vulnerability was identified in D-Link DCS-700L 1.03.09. The affected element is the function uploadmusic of the file /setUploadMusic of the component Music File Upload Service. The manipulation of the argument UploadMusic leads to path traversal. The attac…
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Low 3.5
D-Link DCS-850L Firmware Update Service uploadfirmware path traversal
A vulnerability was found in D-Link DCS-850L 1.02.09. Affected is the function uploadfirmware of the component Firmware Update Service. The manipulation of the argument DownloadFile results in path traversal. The attack must originate from the local network. …
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Low 3.8
GreenCMS File DataController.class.php path traversal
A vulnerability was found in GreenCMS up to 2.3. This affects an unknown part of the file /DataController.class.php of the component File Handler. Performing a manipulation of the argument sqlFiles/zipFiles results in path traversal. The attack can be initiat…
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Low 3.3
A parsing issue in the handling of directory paths was addressed with improved path validation. This issue is fixed in …
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Low 3.8
In JetBrains TeamCity before 2025.11 path traversal was possible via file upload
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Low 3.5
Astro Development Server is Vulnerable to Arbitrary Local File Read
Astro is a web framework. Prior to version 5.14.3, a vulnerability has been identified in the Astro framework's development server that allows arbitrary local file read access through the image optimization endpoint. The vulnerability affects Astro developmen…
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Low 3.7
An issue was found in the Application Server of Desktop Alert PingAlert version 6.1.0.11 to 6.1.1.2 which allows remote…
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Low 2.7
liweiyi ChestnutCMS download resourceDownload path traversal
A vulnerability was determined in liweiyi ChestnutCMS up to 1.5.8. This vulnerability affects the function resourceDownload of the file /dev-api/common/download. Executing manipulation of the argument path can lead to path traversal. The attack can be launche…
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Low 2.7
PixelYourSite < 11.1.2 - Admin+ LFI
The PixelYourSite WordPress plugin before 11.1.2 does not validate some URL parameters before using them to generate paths passed to function/s, allowing any admins to perform LFI attacks
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Low 2.7
Shopware vulnerable to path traversal via Plugin upload
### Impact Malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability to write files within arbitrary directories on the filesystem of the Shopware web container. This could allow them to gain persistent shell access by uploading a PHP-shell file to an accessible folder…
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Low 3.3
auth0-PHP: Improper File Type Handling in Bulk User Import
auth0-PHP is an SDK for Auth0 Authentication and Management APIs. In versions 3.3.0 through 8.16.0, the Bulk User Import endpoint in applications built with the SDK does not validate the file-path wrapper or value. Without proper validation, affected applicat…
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Low 3.1
Nuxt Client-Side Path Traversal in Nuxt Island Payload Revival
Nuxt is an open-source web development framework for Vue.js. Prior to 3.19.0 and 4.1.0, A client-side path traversal vulnerability in Nuxt's Island payload revival mechanism allowed attackers to manipulate client-side requests to different endpoints within th…
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Low 3.5
erjinzhi 10OA file.aspx path traversal
A vulnerability was identified in erjinzhi 10OA 1.0. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the file /view/file.aspx. Such manipulation of the argument File leads to path traversal. The exploit is publicly available and might be used. T…
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Low 2.3CVE-2025-58751 Scanner template
Vite middleware may serve files starting with the same name with the public directory
Vite is a frontend tooling framework for JavaScript. Prior to versions 7.1.5, 7.0.7, 6.3.6, and 5.4.20, files starting with the same name with the public directory were served bypassing the `server.fs` settings. Only apps that explicitly expose the Vite dev s…
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Low 3.7
Glib: buffer under-read on glib through glib/gfileutils.c via get_tmp_file()
A flaw was found in glib. An integer overflow during temporary file creation leads to an out-of-bounds memory access, allowing an attacker to potentially perform path traversal or access private temporary file content by creating symbolic links. This vulnerab…
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Low 1.3
MobSF Path Traversal in GET /download/<filename> using absolute filenames
MobSF is a mobile application security testing tool used. In version 4.4.0, the GET /download/ route uses string path verification via os.path.commonprefix, which allows an authenticated user to download files outside the DWD_DIR download directory from "neig…
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Low 3.5CVE-2025-55523 Scanner template
An issue in the component /api/download_work_dir_file.py of Agent-Zero v0.8.* allows attackers to execute a directory t…
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Low 3.5
xataio Xata Agent route.ts GET path traversal
A vulnerability was found in xataio Xata Agent up to 0.3.0. It has been classified as problematic. This affects the function GET of the file apps/dbagent/src/app/api/evals/route.ts. The manipulation of the argument passed leads to path traversal. Upgrading to…
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Low 3.5
frdel Agent-Zero image_get.py image_get path traversal
A vulnerability was found in frdel Agent-Zero up to 0.8.4. It has been rated as problematic. This issue affects the function image_get of the file /python/api/image_get.py. The manipulation of the argument path leads to path traversal. Upgrading to version 0.…
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Low 3.4
Cisco Unified Contact Center Express Path Traversal Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Unified CCX could allow an authenticated, local attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid administrative credentials. Th…
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Low 2.7
Yifang CMS Admin Panel downloadFile path traversal
A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, was found in Yifang CMS up to 2.0.2. Affected is the function downloadFile of the file /api/File/downloadFile of the component Admin Panel. The manipulation of the argument File leads to path traversal. It…
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Low 2.9
Traefik allows path traversal using url encoding
Traefik (pronounced traffic) is an HTTP reverse proxy and load balancer. Prior to versions 2.11.25 and 3.4.1, there is a potential vulnerability in Traefik managing the requests using a PathPrefix, Path or PathRegex matcher. When Traefik is configured to rout…
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Low 2.7
auth-js Vulnerable to Insecure Path Routing from Malformed User Input
auth-js is an isomorphic Javascript library for Supabase Auth. Prior to version 2.70.0, the library functions getUserById, deleteUser, updateUserById, listFactors and deleteFactor did not require the user supplied values to be valid UUIDs. This could lead to …
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Low 3.8
Path traversal vulnerability exists in a-blog cms versions prior to Ver. 3.1.43 and versions prior to Ver. 3.0.47. This…
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Low 2.3
Kirby vulnerable to path traversal in the router for PHP's built-in server
Kirby is an open-source content management system. A vulnerability in versions prior to 3.9.8.3, 3.10.1.2, and 4.7.1 affects all Kirby setups that use PHP's built-in server. Such setups are commonly only used during local development. Sites that use other ser…
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Low 2.8
OpenStack Ironic fails to restrict paths used for file:// image URLs
OpenStack Ironic before 29.0.1 can write unintended files to a target node disk during image handling (if a deployment was performed via the API). A malicious project assigned as a node owner can provide a path to any local file (readable by ironic-conductor)…
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Low 3.5
Dell Storage Center - Dell Storage Manager, version(s) 20.0.21, contain(s) an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Re…