# CVE-2006-2334: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can create files with trailing spaces to evade antivirus detection or block access to legitimate files in Windows.

- **Severity:** Low 2.1 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 May 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4jh6-hfr3-fg82

## What is CVE-2006-2334?

CVE-2006-2334 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 12 May 2006. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The RtlDosPathNameToNtPathName_U API function in NTDLL.DLL in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 and XP SP2 does not properly convert DOS style paths with trailing spaces into NT style paths, which allows context-dependent attackers to create files that cannot be accessed through the expected DOS path or prevent access to other similarly named files in the same directory, which prevents those files from being detected or disinfected by certain anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-2334?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-2334?

No fix has been published for CVE-2006-2334 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2006-2334 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-2334 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows - Path Conversion (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 2000

- [CVE-2008-4250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4250/): Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0232](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0232/): Microsoft Windows Kernel Exception Handler (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-1123](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1123/): Microsoft Windows Improper Input Validation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2002-0367](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0367/): Microsoft Windows Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2010-0269](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0269/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-2334 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-2334 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2000, published on 12 May 2006. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-2334 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 2000. 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-2006-2334/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-2334/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-2334
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-2334
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-2334

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-2334/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.