# CVE-2022-46255: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory in GitHub Enterprise Server leading to RCE

> An attacker can exploit a path traversal flaw in GitHub Enterprise Server Pages to overwrite files and achieve remote code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 22 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7g4x-mgr6-m9g9

## What is CVE-2022-46255?

CVE-2022-46255 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Github Enterprise Server, published on 14 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server that enabled remote code execution. A check was added within Pages to ensure the working directory is clean before unpacking new content to prevent an arbitrary file overwrite bug. This vulnerability affected only version 3.7.0 of GitHub Enterprise Server and was fixed in version 3.7.1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-46255?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Github Enterprise Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-46255?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-46255 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-46255 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-46255 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Github Enterprise Server

- [CVE-2024-4985](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4985/): Auth bypass in Enterprise Server (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-23739](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23739/): Missing authorization in GitHub Enterprise Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-22869](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22869/): Improper access control in GitHub Enterprise Server allows self-hosted runners to execute outside their control group (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-9487](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9487/): Auth bypass in Enterprise Server (critical 9.5)
- [CVE-2024-6800](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6800/): Auth bypass in GitHub Enterprise Server (critical 9.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-46255 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-46255 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in Github Enterprise Server, published on 14 Dec 2022. 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-2022-46255 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Github Enterprise Server. 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-2022-46255/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-46255/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-46255
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-46255
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-46255

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-46255/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.