Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-70337

Path Traversal in Microsoft Powershell 7.4 – 7.4.19.0

Published
11 August 2026
Modified
14 August 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0080 55th percentile
Risk Priority 65 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2026-70337 is a high-severity Relative Path Traversal (CWE-23) vulnerability in Microsoft Powershell. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 45% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Relative path traversal in Microsoft PowerShell Core allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-36013Same product: Microsoft Powershell
CVE-2023-23391Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2023-35359Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2024-49062Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-63509Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2024-38258Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-57988Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2024-43614Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2026-50426Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2023-33144Same vendor: Microsoft

Affected Assets

microsoft
powershell
7.4 — 7.4.19.0 · 7.5 — 7.5.10.0 · 7.6 — 7.6.5

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Explicit validation of path inputs stops .. sequences from ever being interpreted by the file system.

Access enforcement directly blocks unauthorized file reads/writes that result from unresolved .. sequences.

Information-flow rules can be configured to reject traversals that would move data outside an approved directory boundary.

Least privilege reduces the set of reachable files even when a traversal succeeds.

Secure-engineering principles require safe pathname construction and input neutralization before any file operation.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require input validation and path sanitization that prevent relative traversal.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and path-handling controls that directly prevent relative path traversal.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against path traversal and other injection flaws.

prevents

Secure architecture principles include directory isolation and canonicalization, reducing but not eliminating traversal risk.

prevents

Secure coding standards require neutralizing path traversal sequences, directly addressing CWE-23.

finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis, but does not itself implement the fix.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits which files can be reached, mitigating impact but not preventing the traversal flaw.

References