How severe is CVE-2015-3337?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2015-3337 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2015-3337?

CVE-2015-3337 affects the following packages: org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch (Maven), org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2015-3337?

Update org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 1.4.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2015-3337 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2015-3337 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2015-3337 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

How does O3 Security protect against CVE-2015-3337?

O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2015-3337 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

Is CVE-2015-3337 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 5 known exploit references for CVE-2015-3337, including 1 documented proof-of-concept exploit on Exploit-DB and 3 in-the-wild exploitations observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2015-3337?

CVE-2015-3337 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 32.9%, placing it in the 98th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score warrants monitoring and prompt remediation.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2015-3337?

CVE-2015-3337 is classified as Path Traversal (CWE-22). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation. This is a high-impact weakness class that often enables remote code execution or data exposure.

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2015-3337?

A Nuclei detection template exists for CVE-2015-3337, meaning automated scanners can fingerprint it. Public exploit tooling significantly increases real-world risk — prioritize patching and ensure detection coverage. Exploit tooling should only ever be used in isolated, authorized testing environments.

When was CVE-2015-3337 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2015-3337 was published on May 17, 2022 and was last updated on December 7, 2024. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2015-3337 — elasticsearch

CVE-2015-3337 is a Path Traversal vulnerability in org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch. 5 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory in Elasticsearch

Published

May 17, 2022

Updated

Dec 7, 2024

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

5 known

Exploitation data as of Sep 18, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

32.9%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Moderate Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs98th percentile — riskier than 98% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

☕org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch☕org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

Directory traversal vulnerability in Elasticsearch before 1.4.5 and 1.5.x before 1.5.2, when a site plugin is enabled, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch`	all versions	1.4.5`org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch:1.4.5`
☕Maven	`org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch`	≥ 1.5.0&&< 1.5.2	1.5.2`org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch:1.5.2`

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

EDB-37054webappsphp

ElasticSearch < 1.4.5 / < 1.5.2 - Directory Traversal

by pandujar · May 18, 2015

Exploit-DB Source

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 1.4.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2015-3337 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2015-3337 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

Tailored to CVE-2015-3337. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

How to detect CVE-2015-3337

A community-maintained Nuclei template exists for this CVE. You can scan for it directly:

nuclei -id cve-2015-3337 -u https://target

Template: Elasticsearch - Local File Inclusion
Severity: medium
Impact: An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to read sensitive files on the server.
Remediation: Upgrade to a patched version of Elasticsearch or apply the necessary security patches.

Template by ProjectDiscovery nuclei-templates (pdteam), MIT licensed. View the full template. Scan only systems you are authorised to test.

Frequently Asked Questions

Directory traversal vulnerability in Elasticsearch before 1.4.5 and 1.5.x before 1.5.2, when a site plugin is enabled, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is CVE-2015-3337 in your dependencies?

O3 Security finds CVE-2015-3337 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works