Path Traversal and Improper Input Validation in Apache Commons IO

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

4.8 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2021-29425: 10.55% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 95.78 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

In Apache Commons IO before 2.7, When invoking the method FileNameUtils.normalize with an improper input string, like "//../foo", or "\\..\foo", the result would be the same value, thus possibly providing access to files in the parent directory, but not further above (thus "limited" path traversal), if the calling code would use the result to construct a path value.

Published by the source

26 Apr 2021, 16:04 UTC

Last modified by the source

14 Feb 2024, 20:26 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:26 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-gwrp-pvrq-jmwv

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2021-29425

Advisory: Path Traversal and Improper Input Validation in Apache Commons IO
IDs: CVE-2021-29425, GHSA-gwrp-pvrq-jmwv
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2021-29425 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:26 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 4.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Partial vendor fix; fixed versions by package: org.checkerframework.annotatedlib:commons-io 2.7; commons-io:commons-io 2.7. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven net.hasor:cobble-lang: affected >= 4.4.1, <= 4.6.2
- Maven org.checkerframework.annotatedlib:commons-io: affected >= 2.6, < 2.7; fixed in 2.7
- Maven org.apache.servicemix.bundles:org.apache.servicemix.bundles.commons-io: affected >= 1.4, <= 1.5
- Maven com.diamondq.common:common-thirdparty.jcasbin: affected >= 1.4.0, <= 1.4.0
- Maven com.liferay:com.liferay.sass.compiler.jsass: affected >= 1.0.1, <= 1.0.1
- Maven org.smartboot.servlet:servlet-core: affected >= 0.1.9, <= 0.6
- Maven com.cosium.vet:vet: affected >= 1.0, <= 3.22
- Maven commons-io:commons-io: affected < 2.7; fixed in 2.7
- Maven org.apache.commons:commons-io: affected >= 1.3.2, <= 1.3.2
- Maven com.virjar:ratel-api: affected >= 1.0.0, <= 1.3.6

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven net.hasor:cobble-lang: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.checkerframework.annotatedlib:commons-io: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.apache.servicemix.bundles:org.apache.servicemix.bundles.commons-io: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven com.diamondq.common:common-thirdparty.jcasbin: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven com.liferay:com.liferay.sass.compiler.jsass: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.smartboot.servlet:servlet-core: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven com.cosium.vet:vet: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven commons-io:commons-io: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.apache.commons:commons-io: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven com.virjar:ratel-api: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on net.hasor:cobble-lang, org.checkerframework.annotatedlib:commons-io, org.apache.servicemix.bundles:org.apache.servicemix.bundles.commons-io, com.diamondq.common:common-thirdparty.jcasbin, com.liferay:com.liferay.sass.compiler.jsass, org.smartboot.servlet:servlet-core, com.cosium.vet:vet, commons-io:commons-io, org.apache.commons:commons-io, com.virjar:ratel-api.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-gwrp-pvrq-jmwv (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-gwrp-pvrq-jmwv lists affected ranges: Maven commons-io:commons-io >=0 =1.0 =1.4.0 =1.0.1 =1.0.0 =4.4.1 =1.3.2 <=1.3.2; Maven…)

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