# CVE-2003-1172: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in the view-source sample file of Apache Cocoon.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 May 2005
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vxp8-fwp8-87mv

## What is CVE-2003-1172?

CVE-2003-1172 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 May 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Directory traversal vulnerability in the view-source sample file in Apache Software Foundation Cocoon 2.1 and 2.2 allows remote attackers to access arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in the filename parameter.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2003-1172?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Cocoon.

## How do I fix CVE-2003-1172?

No fix has been published for CVE-2003-1172 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2003-1172 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2003-1172 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Apache cocoon 2.14/2.2 - Directory Traversal (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-45135](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45135/): Apache Cocoon: SQL injection in DatabaseCookieAuthenticatorAction (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-49733](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49733/): Apache Cocoon's StreamGenerator is vulnerable to XXE injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-24783](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24783/): Apache Cocoon: continuations may not be private (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2020-11991](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11991/): XML external entity in Apache Cocoon (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2003-1172 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2003-1172 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 May 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2003-1172 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-1172/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-1172/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2003-1172
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-1172
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2003-1172

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-1172/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.