# CVE-2024-22231: Syndic cache directory creation is vulnerable to a directory traversal attack

> A malicious attacker can exploit a directory traversal vulnerability in Salt Project to create arbitrary directories on the Salt master.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 30 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q27c-j6j9-53w3, PYSEC-2026-1900, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-22231

## What is CVE-2024-22231?

CVE-2024-22231 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in VMware Salt Project, published on 27 Jun 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Syndic cache directory creation is vulnerable to a directory traversal attack in salt project which can lead a malicious attacker to create an arbitrary directory on a Salt master.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-22231?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 3005.5, 3006.6 |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 3005.5 |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 3005.5 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3006.0 | 3006.6 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 3006.0 | 3006.6 |

## How do I fix CVE-2024-22231?

Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 3005.5 or 3006.6.

## Is CVE-2024-22231 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-22231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-22231 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-22231 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in VMware Salt Project, published on 27 Jun 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-22231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 3005.5, 3006.6
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 3005.5
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 3005.5
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3006.0; fixed in 3006.6
- salt (PyPI): affected from 3006.0; fixed in 3006.6

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-2024-22231/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22231/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-22231
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22231
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-22231

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22231/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.