# CVE-2018-19052: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can traverse directories to read files if mod_alias is configured with mismatched trailing slashes.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-19052, DLA-2887-1, GHSA-f959-jhqc-rqpv, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-19052, openSUSE-SU-2019:2347-1

## What is CVE-2018-19052?

CVE-2018-19052 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in mod_alias_physical_handler in mod_alias.c in lighttpd before 1.4.50. There is potential ../ path traversal of a single directory above an alias target, with a specific mod_alias configuration where the matched alias lacks a trailing '/' character, but the alias target filesystem path does have a trailing '/' character.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-19052?

It affects 5 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `lighttpd` | SUSE:Package Hub 15 | All versions | 1.4.54-bp151.4.3.1 |
| `lighttpd` | SUSE:Package Hub 15 SP1 | All versions | 1.4.54-bp151.4.3.1 |
| `lighttpd` | openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | All versions | 1.4.54-bp151.4.3.1 |
| `lighttpd` | openSUSE:Leap 15.1 | All versions | 1.4.54-bp151.4.3.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Lighttpd Lighttpd, Opensuse Backports Sle, Opensuse Leap, Suse Suse Linux Enterprise Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-19052?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-19052 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-19052 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- PoC for a security: potential path traversal with specific configs, if `mod_dirlisting` were enabled, which is not the default, this would result in listing the contents of the directory above the alias.. (github_poc): https://github.com/iveresk/cve-2018-19052

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-19052 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-19052 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-19052 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2018-19052/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19052/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-19052
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-19052
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-19052

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19052/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.