-template-..-2f..-2f..-2f..-2froot-2f [2025-2026]

When hunting for this specific indicator, look for the exact string or its normalized form:

Grep command for Apache/NGINX logs:

grep -E '\-template\-\.\.\-2F\.\.\-2F\.\.\-2F\.\.\-2Froot\-2F' access.log

Decoded search:

grep -E '\.\.\/\.\.\/\.\.\/\.\.\/root\/' access.log

Splunk or SIEM query:

"/-template-..-2F..-2F..-2F..-2Froot-2F" OR "../../../../root/"

Attackers use -2F instead of / (or %2F) to:

Example of dangerous code (pseudocode):

path = request.GET['file'].replace('-2F', '/')
read_file(path)   # No validation → path traversal

The string is composed of:

Let’s decode logically:

If we replace -2F with /, we get: -template-../../../../root/

That is a path traversal string aiming to access /root/ directory from a web root, moving up four levels. -template-..-2F..-2F..-2F..-2Froot-2F

Assume a vulnerable PHP or Node.js code pattern:

$template = $_GET['template'];
include("/var/www/templates/" . $template . ".php");

If the developer decodes -2F to / but doesn’t sanitize .., the request:
?template=-template-..-2F..-2F..-2F..-2Froot-2Fsecret.txt
→ becomes: /var/www/templates/-template-../../../../root/secret.txt

A secure normalizer would resolve the real path: When hunting for this specific indicator, look for

Likely attacker goal: Read system files like /root/.bash_history, /root/.ssh/id_rsa, or /etc/shadow.