CVE-2023-34478Network attack vector

Authentication bypass via unfiltered path traversal

Published Jul 24, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Path traversal in Apache Shiro before 1.12.0 or 2.0.0-alpha-3 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via crafted requests. The InvalidRequestFilter fails to reject dot segments and encoded periods or forward slashes, so Shiro and a downstream router can authorize different paths. Exploitation requires an application integrated with an API or web framework that routes non-normalized requests; successful requests reach resources outside the intended authorization rule.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability2.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Apache Shiro before 1.12.0 or 2.0.0-alpha-3 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via crafted requests. The InvalidRequestFilter fails to reject dot segments and encoded periods or forward slashes, so Shiro and a downstream router can authorize different paths. Exploitation requires an application integrated with an API or web framework that routes non-normalized requests; successful requests reach resources outside the intended authorization rule.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-34478
Published
Jul 24, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
The Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache Shiro
Classifications
CWE-22, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <1.12.0
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <2.0.0-alpha-3
  3. Affected versionversion=2.0.0alpha1
  4. Affected versionversion=2.0.0alpha2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Apache Software Foundation · Apache Shiroversion=0 <1.12.0; version=0 <2.0.0-alpha-3; version=2.0.0alpha1; version=2.0.0alpha2

Published CVSS scores

9.3GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA: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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo