CVE-2024-45188
Path Traversal in JFrog Platform
Executive Summary
CVE-2024-45188 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting appsec. It is classified as Path Traversal. Ensure your systems and dependencies are patched immediately to mitigate exposure risks.
Precogs AI Insight
"The fundamental weakness here is traced back to within Path Traversal, allowing an architectural oversight in input validation. When targeted, an adversary might use this to intercept or modify sensitive data flows before they reach secure enclaves. By intercepting insecure data flows from user input directly to rendering sinks, Precogs is designed to neutralize the threat at the source level."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2024-45188 is categorized as a critical Path Traversal flaw. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
Path Traversal in JFrog Platform. CVSS 6.5 — File system manipulation in artifact repository platform.
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 6.5 (MEDIUM) |
| Vector String | N/A |
| Published | March 21, 2026 |
| Last Modified | March 21, 2026 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-22 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Sensitive File Disclosure: Unauthorized access to critical configuration files (/etc/passwd, .env files, private SSH keys).
✅ Application Source Leak: Attackers can download proprietary source code and hardcoded credentials.
✅ Remote Code Execution: By combining with log poisoning, attackers can write PHP/JSP shells into web-accessible directories.
How to fix this issue?
Implement the following strategic mitigations immediately to eliminate the attack surface.
1. Indirect References Avoid using direct file paths. Utilize indirect references (like database IDs) mapped to backend files.
2. Strict Path Resolution If direct paths are required, resolve the absolute path and rigorously verify the path starts with the expected base directory using native OS path resolving functions.
3. Chroot Jails Confine the application processes to highly restricted directory structures (chroot) with minimum readable boundaries.
Vulnerability Signature
// Vulnerable File Access
import os
def get_image(request):
filename = request.GET.get('file')
# VULNERABLE: No validation preventing moving upwards in the directory tree
filepath = os.path.join('/var/www/images/', filename)
return open(filepath, 'rb').read()
// EXPLOIT PAYLOAD: ?file=../../../../../../../../etc/passwd
References and Sources
- NVD — CVE-2024-45188
- MITRE — CVE-2024-45188
- CWE-22 — MITRE CWE
- CWE-22 Details
- Application Security Vulnerabilities
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | User-supplied filename or path parameter |
| Vector | Path manipulation using dot-dot-slash (../) sequences |
| Sink | File system read/write operation |
| Impact | Unauthorized access to sensitive files (e.g., /etc/passwd), directory traversal |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
// ❌ VULNERABLE: Unvalidated path resolution
public File getFile(String filename) {
String basePath = "/var/www/uploads/";
// Taint sink: permits directory traversal via "../"
return new File(basePath + filename);
}
Secure Code Pattern
// ✅ SECURE: Canonical path validation
public File getFile(String filename) throws IOException {
File baseDir = new File("/var/www/uploads/").getCanonicalFile();
File requestedFile = new File(baseDir, filename).getCanonicalFile();
// Sanitized boundary check
if (!requestedFile.getPath().startsWith(baseDir.getPath())) {
throw new SecurityException("Path traversal attempt detected");
}
return requestedFile;
}
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs AI Analysis Engine utilizes semantic taint tracking to detect insecure path resolution sinks, ensuring file access is strictly bounded.\n