CVE-2023-35946 Dependency cache path traversal in Gradle
Attackers can write files outside the dependency cache or overwrite files via crafted coordinates, potentially poisoning the cache or executing code.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-35946?
CVE-2023-35946 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in gradle, published on 30 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Gradle is a build tool with a focus on build automation and support for multi-language development. When Gradle writes a dependency into its dependency cache, it uses the dependency's coordinates to compute a file location. With specially crafted dependency coordinates, Gradle can be made to write files into an unintended location. The file may be written outside the dependency cache or over another file in the dependency cache. This vulnerability could be used to poison the dependency cache or overwrite important files elsewhere on the filesystem where the Gradle process has write permissions. Exploiting this vulnerability requires an attacker to have control over a dependency repository used by the Gradle build or have the ability to modify the build's configuration. It is unlikely that this would go unnoticed. A fix has been released in Gradle 7.6.2 and 8.2 to protect against this vulnerability. Gradle will refuse to cache dependencies that have path traversal elements in their dependency coordinates. It is recommended that users upgrade to a patched version. If you are unable to upgrade to Gradle 7.6.2 or 8.2, `dependency verification` will make this vulnerability more difficult to exploit.
Weakness: CWE-22
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-35946?
1 open source package ship an affected version, including gradle. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
gradle Bitnami | All versions | 7.6.2, 8.2.0 |
Linux distribution packages (4)
gradle SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP5 | All versions | 4.4.1-150200.3.24.1 |
gradle SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP6 | All versions | 4.4.1-150200.3.24.1 |
gradle openSUSE:Leap 15.5 | All versions | 4.4.1-150200.3.24.1 |
gradle openSUSE:Leap 15.6 | All versions | 4.4.1-150200.3.24.1 |
Products include Gradle Gradle.
How do I fix CVE-2023-35946?
Upgrade gradle to a fixed version for your release line: 7.6.2 or 8.2.0.
Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.
Is CVE-2023-35946 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-35946 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in gradle
- CVE-2019-15052 Information disclosure in n/a
- CVE-2016-6199 Deserialization in n/a
- CVE-2021-29428 Local privilege escalation through system temporary directory
- CVE-2026-22816 Gradle fails to disable repositories which can expose builds to malicious artifacts
- CVE-2026-22865 Gradle's failure to disable repositories failing to answer can expose builds to malicious artifacts
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2023-35946, BIT-gradle-2023-35946, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-35946, GHSA-2h6c-rv6q-494v, SUSE-SU-2024:3163-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-35946.