CVE-2008-2938

CVE-2008-2938 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Tomcat with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 100% places it in the 100th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 4.3)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 100% (100th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-22
• Affected product: Apache Tomcat
• Published: 2008-08-13
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Directory traversal vulnerability in Apache Tomcat 4.1.0 through 4.1.37, 5.5.0 through 5.5.26, and 6.0.0 through 6.0.16, when allowLinking and UTF-8 are enabled, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via encoded directory traversal sequences in the URI, a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-2370. NOTE: versions earlier than 6.0.18 were reported affected, but the vendor advisory lists 6.0.16 as the last affected version.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-2938?

Directory traversal vulnerability in Apache Tomcat 4.1.0 through 4.1.37, 5.5.0 through 5.5.26, and 6.0.0 through 6.0.16, when allowLinking and UTF-8 are enabled, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via encoded directory traversal sequences in the URI, a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-2370. NOTE: versions earlier than 6.0.18 were reported affected, but the vendor advisory lists 6.0.16 as the last affected version.

How severe is CVE-2008-2938?

CVE-2008-2938 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2008-2938 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 100% (100th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-2938?

CVE-2008-2938 affects Apache Tomcat. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-2938?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2008-2938 published?

CVE-2008-2938 was published on 2008-08-13 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2008/Oct/msg00001.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2008-09/msg00004.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-02/msg00002.html
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=123376588623823&w=2
• http://secunia.com/advisories/31639
• http://secunia.com/advisories/31865
• http://secunia.com/advisories/31891
• http://secunia.com/advisories/31982
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32120
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32222
• http://secunia.com/advisories/32266
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33797
• http://secunia.com/advisories/37297
• http://securityreason.com/securityalert/4148
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3216
• http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-401.htm
• http://tomcat.apache.org/security-4.html
• http://tomcat.apache.org/security-5.html
• http://tomcat.apache.org/security-6.html
• http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/343355
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:188
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0648.html
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0862.html
• http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0864.html
• http://www.securenetwork.it/ricerca/advisory/download/SN-2009-02.txt
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/495318/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507729/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30633
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31681
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1020665

Affected products (1)

• cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Apache Tomcat

• CVE-2026-43512 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): DEPRECATED: Authentication Bypass Issues vulnerability in digest authentication in Apache Tomcat. This issue affects…
• CVE-2026-41293 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Improper Input Validation vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through…
• CVE-2025-31651 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. For a subset of unlikely…
• CVE-2025-24813 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Path Equivalence: 'file.Name' (Internal Dot) leading to Remote Code Execution and/or Information disclosure and/or…
• CVE-2024-56337 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. This issue affects Apache Tomcat:…
• CVE-2024-50379 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition vulnerability during JSP compilation in Apache Tomcat permits an RCE…

All CVEs affecting Apache Tomcat →

Other CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2026-48282 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted…
• CVE-2026-54917 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): SeaweedFS is a distributed storage system for object storage (S3), file systems, and Iceberg tables. Prior to 4.30, the…
• CVE-2026-11429 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Two endpoints in the Vault Service ScriptsController, shared by Altium Enterprise Server and Altium 365, accept file…
• CVE-2026-34909 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A malicious actor with access to the network could exploit a Path Traversal vulnerability found in UniFi OS devices to…
• CVE-2026-7411 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): In Eclipse BaSyx Java Server SDK versions prior to 2.0.0-milestone-10, inadequate path normalization in the Submodel…
• CVE-2026-36767 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A path traversal vulnerability in the /content/images/add endpoint of shopizer v3.2.5 allows attackers write arbitrary…

Browse all CWE-22 (Path Traversal) vulnerabilities →