How severe is CVE-2015-5531?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2015-5531 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2015-5531?

CVE-2015-5531 affects the following packages: org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2015-5531?

Update org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 1.6.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2015-5531 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2015-5531 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.

How do I mitigate CVE-2015-5531 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-2015-5531?

O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2015-5531 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.

Is CVE-2015-5531 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 4 known exploit references for CVE-2015-5531, including 1 documented proof-of-concept exploit on Exploit-DB and 2 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-2015-5531?

CVE-2015-5531 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 94.8%, placing it in the 100th 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. A score above 50% indicates significantly elevated exploitation risk — immediate patching is strongly recommended.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2015-5531?

CVE-2015-5531 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-2015-5531?

A Nuclei detection template exists for CVE-2015-5531, meaning automated scanners can fingerprint it. 2 Metasploit modules reference CVE-2015-5531, which lowers the barrier to weaponization. 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-2015-5531 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2015-5531 was published on May 14, 2022 and was last updated on December 5, 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-2015-5531

CVE-2015-5531 is a Path Traversal vulnerability in org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch. 4 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2015-5531 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.

Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory in Elasticsearch

Published

May 14, 2022

Updated

Dec 5, 2024

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

4 known

Exploitation data as of Aug 27, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

94.8%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Very High Risk+3.04%

Lower risk than most CVEs100th percentile — riskier than 100% 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

1 pkg affected

☕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 1.6.1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors related to snapshot API calls.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch`	all versions	1.6.1

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-38383webappslinux

ElasticSearch 1.6.0 - Arbitrary File Download

by Pedro Andujar · Oct 2, 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. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch to 1.6.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2015-5531 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 pinpoints whether CVE-2015-5531 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.

Tailored to CVE-2015-5531. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Directory traversal vulnerability in Elasticsearch before 1.6.1 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via unspecified vectors related to snapshot API calls.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is CVE-2015-5531 in your dependencies?

O3 detects CVE-2015-5531 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works