CVE-2021-32769 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) Path Traversal vulnerability in io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') in micronaut-core
EPSS Exploitation Probability
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.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2021-32769 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,333 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-nettyReal-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
Micronaut is a JVM-based, full stack Java framework designed for building JVM applications. A path traversal vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2.5.9. With a basic configuration, it is possible to access any file from a filesystem, using "/../../" in the URL. This occurs because Micronaut does not restrict file access to configured paths. The vulnerability is patched in version 2.5.9. As a workaround, do not use ** in mapping, use only *, which exposes only flat structure of a directory not allowing traversal. If using Linux, another workaround is to run micronaut in chroot.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty | all versions | 2.5.9io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty:2.5.9 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update io.micronaut:micronaut-http-server-netty to 2.5.9 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2021-32769 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-2021-32769 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2021-32769. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2021-32769 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2021-32769 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.