# CVE-2024-21633: Arbitrary file write on Decoding

> Attackers can write arbitrary files to the system by manipulating resource names in APK files processed by Apktool.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jan 2024
- **Updated:** 3 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-21633, GHSA-2hqv-2xv4-5h5w, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-21633

## What is CVE-2024-21633?

CVE-2024-21633 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in iBotPeaches Apktool, published on 3 Jan 2024. 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

Apktool is a tool for reverse engineering Android APK files. In versions 2.9.1 and prior, Apktool infers resource files' output path according to their resource names which can be manipulated by attacker to place files at desired location on the system Apktool runs on. Affected environments are those in which an attacker may write/overwrite any file that user has write access, and either user name is known or cwd is under user folder. Commit d348c43b24a9de350ff6e5bd610545a10c1fc712 contains a patch for this issue.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-21633?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apktool Apktool.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-21633?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-21633 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-21633 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MobSF Remote code execution (via CVE-2024-21633) (github_poc): https://github.com/0x33c0unt/CVE-2024-21633
- MobSF - Path Traversal (nuclei): http/cves/2024/CVE-2024-21633.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in iBotPeaches Apktool

- [CVE-2024-24482](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24482/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-39973](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-39973/): Apktool: Path Traversal to Arbitrary File Write (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-21633 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-21633 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in iBotPeaches Apktool, published on 3 Jan 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-21633 exists.

Affected product: iBotPeaches Apktool. 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-2024-21633/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21633/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-21633
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-21633
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-21633

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21633/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.