CVE-2021-42767 — apoc
CRITICALCVE-2021-42767 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.1) Path Traversal vulnerability in org.neo4j.procedure:apoc. A fix is available for org.neo4j.procedure:apoc — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Neo4j Graph Database vulnerable to Path Traversal
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-2021-42767 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 378,567 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
org.neo4j.procedure:apoc☕org.neo4j.procedure:apoc☕org.neo4j.procedure:apoc☕org.neo4j.procedure:apocReal-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
Impact
Directory Traversal Vulnerabilities found in several functions of apoc plugins in Neo4j Graph database. The attacker can retrieve and download files from outside the configured directory on the affected server. Under some circumstances, the attacker can also create files.
Patches
The users should aim to use the latest released version compatible with their Neo4j version. The minimum versions containing patch for this vulnerability (for Neo4j 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 bundled with APOC, upgrade to the appropriate patched version): 3.5 - bundle n/a, standalone 3.5.0.17 4.2 - bundle 4.2.13, standalone 4.2.0.10 4.3 - bundle 4.3.9, standalone 4.3.0.4 4.4 - bundle 4.4.2, standalone 4.4.0.1
Workarounds
If you cannot upgrade the library, you can control the allowlist of the functions that can be used in your system:
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in neo4j-apoc-procedures
- Email us at [email protected]
Credits
We want to publicly recognize the contribution of Nicolai Grødum from the Red Team of PwC Norway for reporting this issue and following the responsible disclosure policy.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | all versions | 3.5.17org.neo4j.procedure:apoc:3.5.17 |
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | ≥ 4.2.0&&< 4.2.10 | 4.2.10org.neo4j.procedure:apoc:4.2.10 |
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | ≥ 4.3.0.0&&< 4.3.0.4 | 4.3.0.4org.neo4j.procedure:apoc:4.3.0.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.neo4j.procedure:apoc | ≥ 4.4.0.0&&< 4.4.0.1 | 4.4.0.1org.neo4j.procedure:apoc:4.4.0.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.neo4j.procedure:apoc, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.neo4j.procedure:apoc to 3.5.17 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2021-42767 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-2021-42767 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2021-42767. 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-2021-42767 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2021-42767 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.