CVE-2022-23532Network attack vector

Arbitrary file creation via noncanonical export paths

Published Jan 14, 2023 · Updated Mar 10, 2025

Path traversal in APOC Extended before 4.3.0.12, 4.4.0.0 through 4.4.0.11, and 5.3.0 allows attackers to create files outside exports. FileUtils.getPath accepted an unnormalized URI, while pathStartsWithOther used lexical normalization for nonexistent destinations instead of canonicalizing the file before checking the export base path. Exploitation requires an allowlisted export procedure, enabled local file export, and authenticated Cypher access or a separate Cypher injection; created files cannot overwrite existing files.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in APOC Extended before 4.3.0.12, 4.4.0.0 through 4.4.0.11, and 5.3.0 allows attackers to create files outside exports. FileUtils.getPath accepted an unnormalized URI, while pathStartsWithOther used lexical normalization for nonexistent destinations instead of canonicalizing the file before checking the export base path. Exploitation requires an allowlisted export procedure, enabled local file export, and authenticated Cypher access or a separate Cypher injection; created files cannot overwrite existing files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23532
Published
Jan 14, 2023
Updated
Mar 10, 2025
Vendor
Neo4j
Product
APOC Extended
Classifications
CWE-22, CWE-35
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 10, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 4.3.0.12
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 4.4.0.0, < 4.4.0.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Neo4j · APOC Extendedversion=< 4.3.0.12; version=>= 4.4.0.0, < 4.4.0.12

Published CVSS scores

7.1GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:L
6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-35Path Traversal: '.../...//'

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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