# CVE-2023-35852: Path traversal in n/a

> An attacker controlling rule sources can exploit path traversal in Suricata to write files to the local filesystem.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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:** 19 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 3 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-35852, GHSA-747h-x2cf-7vm7, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-35852

## What is CVE-2023-35852?

CVE-2023-35852 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Oisf Suricata, published on 19 Jun 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Suricata before 6.0.13 (when there is an adversary who controls an external source of rules), a dataset filename, that comes from a rule, may trigger absolute or relative directory traversal, and lead to write access to a local filesystem. This is addressed in 6.0.13 by requiring allow-absolute-filenames and allow-write (in the datasets rules configuration section) if an installation requires traversal/writing in this situation.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-35852?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Oisf Suricata.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-35852?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-35852 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-35852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Oisf Suricata

- [CVE-2023-35853](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35853/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-37592](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-37592/): Other in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-10244](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10244/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-94083](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-94083/): Memory corruption in Suricata (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2026-94084](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-94084/): Use after free in Suricata (critical 9.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-35852 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-35852 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Oisf Suricata, published on 19 Jun 2023. 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-2023-35852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Oisf Suricata. 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-2023-35852/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35852/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-35852
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-35852
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-35852

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35852/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.