Summary
Apache Geronimo Application Server multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in the web administration console in Apache Geronimo Application Server 2.1 through 2.1.3 on Windows allow remote attackers to upload files to arbitrary directories via directory traversal sequences in the (1) group, (2) artifact, (3) version, or (4) fileType parameter to console/portal//Services/Repository (aka the Services/Repository portlet); the (5) createDB parameter to console/portal/Embedded DB/DB Manager (aka the Embedded DB/DB Manager portlet); or the (6) filename parameter to the createKeystore script in the Security/Keystores portlet.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2008-5518? CVE-2008-5518 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in org.apache.geronimo.plugins:console (maven), affecting versions >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.4. It is fixed in 2.1.4. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of org.apache.geronimo.plugins:console are affected by CVE-2008-5518? org.apache.geronimo.plugins:console (maven) versions >= 2.1.0, < 2.1.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2008-5518? Yes. CVE-2008-5518 is fixed in 2.1.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2008-5518 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2008-5518 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2008-5518 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2008-5518? Upgrade
org.apache.geronimo.plugins:consoleto 2.1.4 or later.