CVE-2025-15449: JavaMall Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2025-15449 Overview

A path traversal vulnerability has been identified in cld378632668 JavaMall up to commit 994f1e2b019378ec9444cdf3fce2d5b5f72d28f0. The vulnerability exists in the delete function within the file src/main/java/com/macro/mall/controller/MinioController.java. By manipulating the objectName argument, an attacker can perform path traversal attacks to delete arbitrary files on the target system. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely by authenticated users.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers with low privileges can exploit this path traversal vulnerability to delete arbitrary files on the server, potentially causing data loss, service disruption, or enabling further attacks by removing security controls or configuration files.

Affected Products

• cld378632668 JavaMall (up to commit 994f1e2b019378ec9444cdf3fce2d5b5f72d28f0)
• MinioController component (src/main/java/com/macro/mall/controller/MinioController.java)
• All releases using continuous delivery (no specific version numbers available)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-05 - CVE-2025-15449 published to NVD
• 2026-01-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-15449

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The delete function in MinioController.java fails to properly sanitize the objectName parameter before using it in file system operations. This allows attackers to craft malicious input containing directory traversal sequences (such as ../) to escape the intended directory and access or manipulate files outside the designated storage location.

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires low privileges to execute. While the attack complexity is low, successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized file deletion, potentially resulting in integrity and availability impacts on the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation in the delete function of the MinioController class. The objectName parameter is passed directly to file system operations without adequate sanitization or validation to prevent directory traversal sequences. The application fails to:

1. Validate that the requested path remains within the intended directory boundary
2. Canonicalize the path to resolve symbolic links and traversal sequences
3. Implement a whitelist approach for allowed characters in file names
4. Use secure file handling APIs that prevent path traversal attacks

Attack Vector

The attack can be initiated remotely by an authenticated user with low privileges. An attacker can send a crafted HTTP request to the delete endpoint with a malicious objectName parameter containing path traversal sequences. For example, by including ../ patterns in the object name, the attacker can navigate out of the designated storage directory and target arbitrary files on the system.

The attack flow involves:

1. Authenticating to the JavaMall application with minimal privileges
2. Sending a DELETE request to the MinioController endpoint
3. Including path traversal sequences in the objectName parameter
4. Successfully deleting files outside the intended storage directory

For detailed technical information and proof-of-concept, refer to the GitHub PoC Repository and VulDB advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-15449

Indicators of Compromise

• HTTP requests to MinioController delete endpoints containing ../ or encoded path traversal sequences (%2e%2e%2f)
• Unexpected file deletion events in system logs outside the designated Minio storage directories
• Anomalous DELETE requests with unusually long or suspicious objectName parameters
• Application errors or exceptions related to file access outside expected paths

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal patterns in request parameters
• Monitor application logs for delete operations targeting paths outside the configured storage directory
• Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect path traversal attempts
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on requests containing directory traversal sequences

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed audit logging for all file system operations performed by the JavaMall application
• Monitor for patterns of repeated delete requests that could indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on critical system files and directories
• Set up alerts for any file deletion events outside the designated Minio storage paths

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-15449

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and restrict access to the MinioController delete functionality to only trusted administrative users
• Implement input validation to reject any objectName containing path traversal sequences
• Deploy WAF rules to block requests with directory traversal patterns targeting the affected endpoint
• Audit recent delete operations for signs of exploitation

Patch Information

The vendor was contacted about this vulnerability but did not respond. As JavaMall uses continuous delivery with rolling releases, no specific patched version is available. Organizations should implement custom mitigations or consider forking the repository to apply security fixes. Monitor the project repository and VulDB for updates on any security patches.

Workarounds

• Implement a reverse proxy or WAF rule to filter path traversal patterns in the objectName parameter
• Restrict network access to the MinioController endpoints using firewall rules
• Disable the delete functionality in MinioController if not required for business operations
• Apply a custom code patch to sanitize the objectName input before processing

# Example WAF rule to block path traversal attempts
# For ModSecurity-compatible WAFs
SecRule ARGS:objectName "@contains ../" \
    "id:1001,\
    phase:2,\
    deny,\
    status:403,\
    msg:'Path traversal attempt blocked in objectName parameter',\
    log,\
    auditlog"