CVE-2024-38824
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedDirectory traversal vulnerability in recv_file method allows arbitrary files to be written to the master cache directory.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceA directory traversal vulnerability in the recv_file method allows attackers to use path traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to write arbitrary files outside the intended master cache directory. This occurs due to insufficient input validation on the file path parameter before file write operations.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data>= 3006.0, < 3006.12>= 3007.0, < 3007.4CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check installed Salt versionRun `salt --version` or `rpm -q salt` / `dpkg -l salt` to determine the exact version installedAffected if Version falls within 3006.0 through 3006.11, or 3007.0 through 3007.3
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Verify Salt master service is runningRun `systemctl status salt-master` or `ps aux | grep salt-master` to confirm the master process is activeAffected if The master service is running and the version is vulnerable as above
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Locate master cache directory configurationCheck /etc/salt/master for `cachedir` or `file_recv` settings; the default is typically /var/cache/salt/masterAffected if A custom or default cache directory is configured for the master
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Inspect cache directory for unexpected subdirectoriesUse `find /var/cache/salt/master -type f -newer /var/cache/salt/master` or manually list directory contents to spot files written outside expected structureAffected if Files or directories exist with names containing ../ sequences or appear written outside the intended cache hierarchy
A system is affected if it runs a vulnerable Salt version (3006.0-3006.11 or 3007.0-3007.3) with the Salt master service active, allowing potential arbitrary file writes via path traversal in the recv_file method.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped3006.123007.4
Implement strict path validation using canonicalization (e.g., realpath()) to resolve the final path and verify it remains within the intended cache directory whitelist before any file write operations.
3006.12 or 3007.4 (depending on your major version branch)
- 1. Identify the current Salt version by running: salt --version
- 2. If running 3006.x, plan upgrade to version 3006.12 or later
- 3. If running 3007.x, plan upgrade to version 3007.4 or later
- 4. Back up Salt configuration files (usually in /etc/salt/) and the cache directory before upgrading
- 5. For systems using package managers: update the package repository and upgrade Salt (e.g., apt-get update && apt-get install salt-master or yum update salt)
- 6. Restart the Salt master service after upgrade: systemctl restart salt-master
- 7. Verify the new version is running: salt --version
- 8. Test that Salt functionality is working normally before returning to production
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-38824 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-38824 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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