CWE-38 1 CVEs MITRE definition ↗

CWE-38: Path Traversal: '\absolute\pathname\here'

Overview

CWE-38 (Path Traversal: '\absolute\pathname\here') documents a weakness type used across vulnerability databases and security assessments. Use the sections below for definition, context, and mapped CVEs.

Security impact
Security impact: Depends on product and context; use CVE records, severity scores, and MITRE guidance to prioritize.

Description

The product accepts input in the form of a backslash absolute path ('\absolute\pathname\here') without appropriate validation, which can allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.

Applicable platforms

Kind Name Class Prevalence OS / CPE
language Not Language-Specific Undetermined

Related CVEs in this database

These CVEs are mapped to this weakness in this database and kept for traceability and search.

CVE Published Summary
CVE-2026-9507 2026-06-16 A session fixation vulnerability has been identified in osTicket v1.18.2. This security flaw allows an attacker to hijack a victim’s account by keeping the initial session identifier (OSTSESSID) activ…

Previous names

  • Path Issue - Backslash Absolute Path - \absolute\pathname\here (2008-04-11)

Content submission

Name
PLOVER
Date
2006-07-19
Version
Draft 3

Content modifications

Date Name Version Importance Comment
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci 1.0 updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team 1.0 updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team 1.1 updated Observed_Examples, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team 1.5 updated Potential_Mitigations
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team 1.9 updated Potential_Mitigations
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team 1.12 updated Potential_Mitigations
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team 1.13 updated Common_Consequences
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team 2.1 updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team 2.2 updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team 2.8 updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team 3.0 updated Applicable_Platforms, Taxonomy_Mappings
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team 4.0 updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team 4.1 updated Potential_Mitigations
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team 4.4 updated Potential_Mitigations
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team 4.10 updated Description
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team 4.11 updated Relationships
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team 4.12 updated Mapping_Notes
2025-09-09 CWE Content Team 4.18 updated Affected_Resources, Functional_Areas
2025-12-11 CWE Content Team 4.19 updated Detection_Factors, Weakness_Ordinalities
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