Summary
The Directus process can be aborted by having an authorized user update the filename_disk value to a folder and accessing that file through the /assets endpoint.
The vulnerability is patched and released in v9.15.0.
You can prevent this problem by making sure no (untrusted) non-admin users have permissions to update the filename_disk field on directus_files.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open a Discussion in directus/directus
- Email us at [email protected]
Credits
This vulnerability was first discovered and reported by Witold Gorecki.
Impact
CVE-2022-36031 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (9.15.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
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
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-36031? CVE-2022-36031 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in directus (npm), affecting versions < 9.15.0. It is fixed in 9.15.0.
- How severe is CVE-2022-36031? CVE-2022-36031 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of directus are affected by CVE-2022-36031? directus (npm) versions < 9.15.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-36031? Yes. CVE-2022-36031 is fixed in 9.15.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2022-36031 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-36031 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-2022-36031 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-2022-36031? Upgrade
directusto 9.15.0 or later.