# CVE-2018-14335: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can read sensitive files outside permitted directories by exploiting insecure permission handling in the backup function via symlink attacks.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wm64-883p-84j3, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-14335

## What is CVE-2018-14335?

CVE-2018-14335 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Jul 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in H2 1.4.197. Insecure handling of permissions in the backup function allows attackers to read sensitive files (outside of their permissions) via a symlink to a fake database file.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access), CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14335?

It affects 1 product.


Products: H2database H2.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14335?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-14335 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-14335 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-14335 exists.

Public exploit code:

- H2 Database 1.4.197 - Information Disclosure (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-45868](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-45868/): Password exposure in H2 Database (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2021-23463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-23463/): XML External Entity (XXE) Injection (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14335 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14335 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Jul 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-14335 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-2018-14335/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14335/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14335
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14335
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14335

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14335/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.