Summary
@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend storage bucket Directory Traversal vulnerability
References
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
Open an issue in the Backstage repository
Visit our Discord, linked to in Backstage README
Impact
When using the AWS S3 or GCS storage provider for TechDocs it is possible to access content in the entire storage bucket. This can leak contents of the bucket that are not intended to be accessible, as well as bypass permission checks in Backstage.
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.
CVE-2024-45816 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). 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 (1.10.13); 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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
This has been fixed in the 1.10.13 release of the @backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend package.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-45816? CVE-2024-45816 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in @backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend (npm), affecting versions < 1.10.13. It is fixed in 1.10.13. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2024-45816? CVE-2024-45816 has a CVSS score of 7.7 (High). 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 @backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend are affected by CVE-2024-45816? @backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend (npm) versions < 1.10.13 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-45816? Yes. CVE-2024-45816 is fixed in 1.10.13. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-45816 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-45816 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-2024-45816 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-2024-45816? Upgrade
@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backendto 1.10.13 or later.