CVE-2008-5515

Apache Tomcat 4.1.0 through 4.1.39, 5.5.0 through 5.5.27, 6.0.0 through 6.0.18, and possibly earlier versions normalizes the target pathname before filtering the query string when using the RequestDispatcher method, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and conduct directory traversal attacks via .. (dot dot) sequences and the WEB-INF directory in a Request.

Published: 2009-06-16 Last update: 2026-04-23 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2008-5515 is rated Moderate Risk (59.6/100): CVSS Medium severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 72.86%, 99th percentile). Core evidence: EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. EPSS rose +12.17% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. Mandatory action: High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2008-5515

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-02-17 60.69% 72.86% +12.17%
2 2025-10-18 36.05% 60.69% +24.63%
3 2025-09-25 36.05%

Full EPSS history (15 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2008-5515

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.0 2.0 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:P)
Partial confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:N)
No integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:N)
No availability impact.
10.0 2.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2008-5515

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2008-5515

GHSA-9737-qmgc-hfr9 · Severity: medium · Ecosystem: maven — Directory Traversal in Apache Tomcat

OS Trackers for CVE-2008-5515

vendor priority summary link
gentoo normal CVE-2008-5515: 1 GLSA(s) (201206-24), 1 atom(s) (www-servers/tomcat); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2008-5515
redhat high https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2008-5515
ubuntu medium CVE-2008-5515 medium priority: Ubuntu including 3 source packages (tomcat5, tomcat5.5, tomcat6), 30 status rows across 10 suites (dapper, hardy, intrepid, jaunty, karmic, lucid, maverick, natty, oneiric, upstream): DNE 16, not-affected 5, ignored 4, released 4, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2008-5515

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2008-5515

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
apache tomcat 4.1.0 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.2 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.3 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.10 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.11 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.12 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.13 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.14 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.15 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.16 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.17 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.18 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.19 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.20 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.21 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.22 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.23 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.24 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.25 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.26 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.27 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.28 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.29 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.29:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.30 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.31 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.32 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.33 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.34 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.34:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.35 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.35:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.36 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.36:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.37 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.38 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 4.1.39 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:4.1.39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.0 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.1 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.2 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.3 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.4 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.5 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.6 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.7 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.8 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.9 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.10 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.11 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.12 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.13 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.14 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.15 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.16 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.17 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.18 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.19 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.20 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.21 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.22 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.23 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.23:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.24 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.24:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.25 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.26 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.26:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 5.5.27 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:5.5.27:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.0 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.1 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.2 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.3 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.4 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.5 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.6 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.7 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.9 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.10 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.12 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.13 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.14 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.15 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.16 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.17 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache tomcat 6.0.18 cpe:2.3:a:apache:tomcat:6.0.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2008-5515

URL Tags
http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN63832775/index.html Patch
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Mar/msg00001.html
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-07/msg00002.html
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-04/msg00001.html
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=127420533226623&w=2
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=129070310906557&w=2
http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=136485229118404&w=2
http://secunia.com/advisories/35393
http://secunia.com/advisories/35685
http://secunia.com/advisories/35788
http://secunia.com/advisories/37460
http://secunia.com/advisories/39317
http://secunia.com/advisories/42368
http://secunia.com/advisories/44183
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-263529-1
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4077
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-4.html Patch Vendor Advisory
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-5.html Patch Vendor Advisory
http://tomcat.apache.org/security-6.html Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2011/dsa-2207
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/support/software/security/products-f/interstage-200902e.html
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:136
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:138
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:176
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/504170/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/504202/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507985/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/35263 Patch
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0016.html
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1520 Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1535
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1856
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3316
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/3056
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/06cfb634bc7bf37af7d8f760f118018746ad8efbd519c4b789ac9c2e%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/29dc6c2b625789e70a9c4756b5a327e6547273ff8bde7e0327af48c5%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/8dcaf7c3894d66cb717646ea1504ea6e300021c85bb4e677dc16b1aa%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/c62b0e3a7bf23342352a5810c640a94b6db69957c5c19db507004d74%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3aacc40356defc3f248aa504b1e48e819dd0471a0a83349080c6bcbf%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r584a714f141eff7b1c358d4679288177bd4ca4558e9999d15867d4b5%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rb71997f506c6cc8b530dd845c084995a9878098846c7b4eacfae8db3%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10422
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A19452
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6445
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2009-November/msg01156.html
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2009-November/msg01216.html
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2009-November/msg01246.html
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