Evidence used
- No CISA KEV confirmation is currently recorded.
- A structured source references public exploit or proof-of-concept material.
- EPSS is 1.62% for the current model date.
BlackTreeCVE IntelligenceFull vulnerability report · 2022
CVE-2022-31159High confidence
Partial Path Traversal in com.amazonaws:aws-java-sdk-s3
aws · aws-sdk-java
Official source article: GitHub GHSA-C28R-HW5M-5GV3 ↗. Check the applicable product and release in the original source.
7.9HighCVSS 3.1
Within 7 days
Fix not verifiedHigh technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
R
Open reassessment dashboard →Operational reassessment
Published severity in operational context
Published severityHigh→Operational priority:Critical, raised one band.upgradedsince 22 Apr 2025
Compensating controls
- Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
- Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.
Verification
- Confirm that the asset runs aws aws-sdk-java and falls inside the recorded affected range.
- Recheck the vendor advisory before scheduling a change because no verified fixed version is currently retained.
- Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
- Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
High technical severity with public exploit material referenced by a structured source; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Fix not verified01
What, why and how
The AWS SDK for Java enables Java developers to work with Amazon Web Services. A partial-path traversal issue exists within the `downloadDirectory` method in the AWS S3 TransferManager component of the AWS SDK for Java v1 prior to version 1.12.261. Applications using the SDK control the `destinationDirectory` argument, but S3 object keys are determined by the application that uploaded the objects. The `downloadDirectory` method allows the caller to pass a filesystem object in the object key but contained an issue in the validation logic for the key name. A knowledgeable actor could bypass the validation logic by including a UNIX double-dot in the bucket key. Under certain conditions, this could permit them to retrieve a directory from their S3 bucket that is one level up in the filesystem from their working directory. This issue’s scope is limited to directories whose name prefix matches the destinationDirectory. E.g. for destination directory`/tmp/foo`, the actor can cause a download to `/tmp/foo-bar`, but not `/tmp/bar`. If `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory` is used to download an untrusted buckets contents, the contents of that bucket can be written outside of the intended destination directory. Version 1.12.261 contains a patch for this issue. As a workaround, when calling `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory`, pass a `KeyFilter` that forbids `S3ObjectSummary` objects that `getKey` method return a string containing the substring `..` .
What
The AWS SDK for Java enables Java developers to work with Amazon Web Services. A partial-path traversal issue exists within the `downloadDirectory` method in the AWS S3 TransferManager component of the AWS SDK for Java v1 prior to version 1.12.261. Applications using the SDK control the `destinationDirectory` argument, but S3 object keys are determined by the application that uploaded the objects. The `downloadDirectory` method allows the caller to pass a filesystem object in the object key but contained an issue in the validation logic for the key name. A knowledgeable actor could bypass the validation logic by including a UNIX double-dot in the bucket key. Under certain conditions, this could permit them to retrieve a directory from their S3 bucket that is one level up in the filesystem from their working directory. This issue’s scope is limited to directories whose name prefix matches the destinationDirectory. E.g. for destination directory`/tmp/foo`, the actor can cause a download to `/tmp/foo-bar`, but not `/tmp/bar`. If `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory` is used to download an untrusted buckets contents, the contents of that bucket can be written outside of the intended destination directory. Version 1.12.261 contains a patch for this issue. As a workaround, when calling `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory`, pass a `KeyFilter` that forbids `S3ObjectSummary` objects that `getKey` method return a string containing the substring `..` .
Why
Attacker-controlled path data is not constrained to the intended directory before the application accesses a file.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
The AWS SDK for Java enables Java developers to work with Amazon Web Services. A partial-path traversal issue exists within the `downloadDirectory` method in the AWS S3 TransferManager component of the AWS SDK for Java v1 prior to version 1.12.261. Applications using the SDK control the `destinationDirectory` argument, but S3 object keys are determined by the application that uploaded the objects. The `downloadDirectory` method allows the caller to pass a filesystem object in the object key but contained an issue in the validation logic for the key name. A knowledgeable actor could bypass the validation logic by including a UNIX double-dot in the bucket key. Under certain conditions, this could permit them to retrieve a directory from their S3 bucket that is one level up in the filesystem from their working directory. This issue’s scope is limited to directories whose name prefix matches the destinationDirectory. E.g. for destination directory`/tmp/foo`, the actor can cause a download to `/tmp/foo-bar`, but not `/tmp/bar`. If `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory` is used to download an untrusted buckets contents, the contents of that bucket can be written outside of the intended destination directory. Version 1.12.261 contains a patch for this issue. As a workaround, when calling `com.amazonaws.services.s3.transfer.TransferManager::downloadDirectory`, pass a `KeyFilter` that forbids `S3ObjectSummary` objects that `getKey` method return a string containing the substring `..` .
Why
Attacker-controlled path data is not constrained to the intended directory before the application accesses a file.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation No confirmed evidence
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material Reference recorded
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.A structured CVE source labels at least one public reference as exploit material. BlackTree has not independently validated that it is safe, reliable or weaponised.
- Likely attack path
- a network path → Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
- Attack surface
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low: a basic authenticated account is required
- User interaction
- Required interaction required
- Attack complexity
- High: exploitation depends on specific conditions
- Security boundary
- Changed: exploitation can affect a different security authority
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-22 ↗
CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'). The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:LCommon Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACHighAttack complexity: Successful exploitation depends on specific conditions outside the attacker's direct control.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UIRequiredUser interaction: Another user must perform an action for exploitation to succeed.SChangedScope: The attack can affect a component governed by a different security authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.ALowAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
03
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Fix not verified
- Affected
- aws-sdk-java: <= 1.12.260
- Fixed
- No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
- Action
- No verified patch reference is present in the current structured sources. Check the vendor advisory before making a change.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 15 Jul 2022 · Last source change 22 Apr 2025, 17:49 UTC · CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2022-6311
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Material change intelligence
View recent updates ↗What changed after publication
No material field changes have been recorded since change tracking began. Routine source refreshes and cosmetic edits are intentionally excluded.
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.