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Vulnerability record · CVE-2008-5515 · published 16 June 2009

CVE-2008-5515: Apache tomcat path traversal vulnerability

Apache · Tomcat

Apache Tomcat 4.1.0 through 4.1.39, 5.5.0 through 5.5.27, 6.0.0 through 6.0.18, and possibly earlier versions normalizes the target pathname before filtering the query string when using the RequestDispatcher method, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and conduct directory traversal attacks via .. (dot dot) sequences and the WEB-INF directory in a Request.

5.0 CVSS 2.0 Medium EPSS 19% · top 2.8% CWE-22 · Path traversal
5.0CVSS 2.0 base score
19%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
94References
16 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

Apache Tomcat 4.1.0 through 4.1.39, 5.5.0 through 5.5.27, 6.0.0 through 6.0.18, and possibly earlier versions normalizes the target pathname before filtering the query string when using the RequestDispatcher method, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and conduct directory traversal attacks via .. (dot dot) sequences and the WEB-INF directory in a Request.

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN63832775/index.html Patch
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Mar/msg00001.html
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-07/msg00002.html
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-04/msg00001.html
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=127420533226623&w=2
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=129070310906557&w=2
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=136485229118404&w=2
http://secunia.com/advisories/35393
http://secunia.com/advisories/35685
http://secunia.com/advisories/35788
http://secunia.com/advisories/37460
http://secunia.com/advisories/39317
http://secunia.com/advisories/42368
http://secunia.com/advisories/44183
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-263529-1
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4077
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-4.html PatchVendor Advisory
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-5.html PatchVendor Advisory
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-6.html PatchVendor Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2011/dsa-2207
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/support/software/security/products-f/interstage-200902e.html
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:136
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:138
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:176
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/504170/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/504202/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507985/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/35263 Patch
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0016.html
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1520 PatchVendor Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1535
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1856
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3316
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/3056
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/06cfb634bc7bf37af7d8f760f118018746ad8efbd519c4b789ac9c2e%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/29dc6c2b625789e70a9c4756b5a327e6547273ff8bde7e0327af48c5%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/8dcaf7c3894d66cb717646ea1504ea6e300021c85bb4e677dc16b1aa%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/c62b0e3a7bf23342352a5810c640a94b6db69957c5c19db507004d74%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3aacc40356defc3f248aa504b1e48e819dd0471a0a83349080c6bcbf%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.or
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r584a714f141eff7b1c358d4679288177bd4ca4558e9999d15867d4b5%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.or

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2008-5515), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.