# CVE-2021-44138: Path Traversal in Caucho Resin

> Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via directory traversal in Caucho Resin web server.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 4 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4w2q-9hp2-vxj5

## What is CVE-2021-44138?

CVE-2021-44138 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 4 Apr 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

There is a Directory traversal vulnerability in Caucho Resin, as distributed in Resin 4.0.52 - 4.0.56, which allows remote attackers to read files in arbitrary directories via a ; in a pathname within an HTTP request.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-44138?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including com.caucho:resin. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `com.caucho:resin` | Maven | From 4.0.52 to 4.0.56 | None |
| `com.caucho:resin` | Maven | From 4.0.52 to 4.0.56 | None |

Products: Caucho Resin.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-44138?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-44138 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-44138 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-44138 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Caucho Resin >=4.0.52 <=4.0.56 - Directory traversal (nuclei): http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-44138.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2012-2965](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2965/): Caucho Quercus, as distributed in Resin, does not properly handle unspecified characters in the names of variables (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2012-2966](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2966/): Caucho Quercus, as distributed in Resin, overwrites entries in SERVER superglobal array on basis of POST parameters (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2012-2967](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2967/): Caucho Quercus, as distributed in Resin, does not properly implement the `==` operator for comparisons (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2012-2969](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2969/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2014-2966](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2966/): Security feature bypass in n/a (medium 5.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-44138 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-44138 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 4 Apr 2022. 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-2021-44138 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- com.caucho:resin (Maven): affected from 4.0.52 up to 4.0.56; no fix listed
- com.caucho:resin (Maven): affected from 4.0.52 up to 4.0.56; no fix listed

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-2021-44138/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44138/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44138
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44138
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-44138

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-44138/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.