Drupal saving user accounts can sometimes grant the user all roles
The User module in Drupal 6.x before 6.38 and 7.x before 7.43 allows remote attackers to gain privileges by leveraging contributed or custom code that calls the user_save function with an explicit category and loads all roles into the array.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | drupal/core | >= 6.0, < 6.38, >= 7.0, < 7.43 | 6.38, 7.43 |
| Composer package | drupal/drupal | >= 7.0, < 7.43, >= 6.0, < 6.38 | 7.43, 6.38 |
| Drupal (core) | drupal/core | >= 6.0, < 6.38, >= 7.0, < 7.43, >= 7.0, < 7.43, >= 6.0, < 6.38 | 6.38, 7.43 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3169
- https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/drupal/core/CVE-2016-3169.yaml
- https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/drupal/drupal/CVE-2016-3169.yaml
- https://github.com/drupal/core
- https://www.drupal.org/SA-CORE-2016-001
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3498
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/02/24/19
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/03/15/10
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-269- Platform
- Composer, Drupal
- Package
drupal/core, drupal/drupal- Disclosed
- 17.05.2022
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 11:18
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-q3p9-8728-wq7x - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: drupal/core
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 146
- First → latest
- 02.2018 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 3
- Exploited in attacks
- 5
Severity breakdown
- Critical 15
- High 40
- Medium 60
- Low 5
- Unrated 26
Disclosures per year
- 2018: 4
- 2019: 14
- 2020: 12
- 2021: 11
- 2022: 55
- 2023: 6
- 2024: 23
- 2025: 8
- 2026: 13
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