CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') – Detailed Weakness Analysis

Explore CAPEC attack patterns referencing this CWE.

What is CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration)?

The Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) is a community-developed list of common software and hardware weaknesses. By identifying these weaknesses, developers and security practitioners can prioritize and address potential vulnerabilities early in the development cycle. Explore our comprehensive CWE list below to better understand and mitigate common security issues.

CAPEC Patterns referencing CWE-22

Below is a list of CAPEC attack patterns associated with this CWE-22. Click on each CAPEC to learn more. The right column shows the related weaknesses (including this one).

CAPEC Related Weaknesses
Path Traversal
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation Logic
CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-172 Encoding Error
CWE-173 Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding
CWE-177 Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding)
CWE-697 Incorrect Comparison
CWE-707 Improper Neutralization
Manipulating Web Input to File System Calls
CWE-15 External Control of System or Configuration Setting
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-23 Relative Path Traversal
CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-77 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-272 Least Privilege Violation
CWE-285 Improper Authorization
CWE-346 Origin Validation Error
CWE-348 Use of Less Trusted Source
Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate Encoding
CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-172 Encoding Error
CWE-173 Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding
CWE-180 Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Canonicalize
CWE-181 Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Filter
CWE-697 Incorrect Comparison
CWE-707 Improper Neutralization
Using Slashes in Alternate Encoding
CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-173 Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding
CWE-180 Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Canonicalize
CWE-181 Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Filter
CWE-185 Incorrect Regular Expression
CWE-200 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
CWE-697 Incorrect Comparison
CWE-707 Improper Neutralization

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

CWE-22 is one of the established Common Weakness Enumerations that identifies a specific type of vulnerability in software. Detailed analysis of CWE-22 helps organizations understand the risks associated with this weakness and implement effective countermeasures.

Explore related attack patterns, best practices, and expert recommendations on this page. By understanding CWE-22, you can enhance your security posture and better protect your applications against exploitation.