# CVE-2024-5550: Exposure of Sensitive Information via Arbitrary System Path Lookup in h2oai/h2o-3

> Remote attackers can view the entire server filesystem via the Typeahead API, exposing sensitive directory structures and aiding further exploitation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Jun 2024
- **Updated:** 15 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x234-r5fg-x52m, PYSEC-2026-1446

## What is CVE-2024-5550?

CVE-2024-5550 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in h2oai/h2o-3, published on 6 Jun 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In h2oai/h2o-3 version 3.40.0.4, an exposure of sensitive information vulnerability exists due to an arbitrary system path lookup feature. This vulnerability allows any remote user to view full paths in the entire file system where h2o-3 is hosted. Specifically, the issue resides in the Typeahead API call, which when requested with a typeahead lookup of '/', exposes the root filesystem including directories such as /home, /usr, /bin, among others. This vulnerability could allow attackers to explore the entire filesystem, and when combined with a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability, could make exploitation of the server trivial.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-5550?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including h2o. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `h2o` | PyPI | All versions to 3.40.0.4 | None |
| `h2o` | PyPI | All versions to 3.40.0.4 | None |
| `h2o` | PyPI | All versions to 3.40.0.4 | None |

Products: H2o H2o.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-5550?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-5550 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-5550 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-5550 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in h2oai/h2o-3

- [CVE-2023-6016](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6016/): H2O Remote Code Execution via POJO Model Import (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-6544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6544/): Deserialization Vulnerability in h2oai/h2o-3 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-10553](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-10553/): Jdbc Deserialization in h2oai/h2o-3 (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-6569](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6569/): External Control of File Name or Path in h2oai/h2o-3 (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2023-6013](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6013/): H2O Local File Include (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-5550 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-5550 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in h2oai/h2o-3, published on 6 Jun 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-5550 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- h2o (PyPI): affected all versions up to 3.40.0.4; no fix listed
- h2o (PyPI): affected all versions up to 3.40.0.4; no fix listed
- h2o (PyPI): affected all versions up to 3.40.0.4; no fix listed

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-2024-5550/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5550/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-5550
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-5550
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-5550

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5550/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.