Authenticated code execution via relative path traversal
Published Aug 8, 2023 · Updated Aug 10, 2026
Relative path traversal in Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 CU23 and 2019 CU12-CU13 allows remote authenticated users to execute code. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected Exchange component, pathname source, or file operation that turns the traversal into code execution. A valid Exchange account and network access are required; successful exploitation executes code in the server's security context.
Summary
What happened
Relative path traversal in Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 CU23 and 2019 CU12-CU13 allows remote authenticated users to execute code. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected Exchange component, pathname source, or file operation that turns the traversal into code execution. A valid Exchange account and network access are required; successful exploitation executes code in the server's security context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-38185
- Published
- Aug 8, 2023
- Updated
- Aug 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 12
- Classifications
- CWE-23, CAPEC-76, CAPEC-139, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 10, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=15.02.0 <15.02.1118.037
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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