# CVE-2008-3708: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in dotCMS, exposing sensitive data without authentication.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/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:** 19 Aug 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qm7m-32m9-v63x

## What is CVE-2008-3708?

CVE-2008-3708 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 19 Aug 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in dotCMS 1.6.0.9 allow remote attackers to read arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in the id parameter to (1) news/index.dot and (2) getting_started/macros/macros_detail.dot.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3708?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Dotcms Dotcms.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3708?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-3708 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-3708 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-3708 exists.

Public exploit code:

- dotCMS 1.6 - 'id' Local File Inclusion (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Dotcms Dotcms

- [CVE-2022-26352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-26352/): dotCMS Unrestricted Upload of File (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-19138](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-19138/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-6754](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6754/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5344/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-2355](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2355/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-3708 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3708 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Dotcms Dotcms, published on 19 Aug 2008. 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-2008-3708 exists.

Affected product: Dotcms Dotcms. 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-2008-3708/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3708/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3708
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3708
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3708

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3708/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.