Summary
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in Apache Struts 2.0.x before 2.0.12 and 2.1.x before 2.1.3 allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a ..%252f (encoded dot dot slash) in a URI with a /struts/ path, related to (1) FilterDispatcher in 2.0.x and (2) DefaultStaticContentLoader in 2.1.x.
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.
Remediation advice
org.apache.struts:struts2-core to 2.0.12 or later; org.apache.struts:struts2-core to 2.1.3 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2008-6505? CVE-2008-6505 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in org.apache.struts:struts2-core (maven), affecting versions >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.12. It is fixed in 2.0.12, 2.1.3. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- Which versions of org.apache.struts:struts2-core are affected by CVE-2008-6505? org.apache.struts:struts2-core (maven) versions >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.12 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2008-6505? Yes. CVE-2008-6505 is fixed in 2.0.12, 2.1.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2008-6505 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2008-6505 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-2008-6505 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-2008-6505?
- Upgrade
org.apache.struts:struts2-coreto 2.0.12 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.struts:struts2-coreto 2.1.3 or later
- Upgrade