HAX CMS API Lacks Authorization Checks
Summary
The HAX CMS API endpoints do not perform authorization checks when interacting with a resource. Both the JS and PHP versions of the CMS do not verify that a user has permission to interact with a resource before performing a given operation.
Details
The API endpoints within the HAX CMS application check if a user is authenticated, but don't check for authorization before performing an operation.
Affected Resources
- Operations.php: 760
createNode() - Operations.php: 868
saveNode() - Operations.php: 1171
deleteNode() - Operations.php: 1789
listSites() - Operations.php: 1890
createSite() - Operations.php: 2196
getConfig() - Operations.php: 2389
cloneSite() - Operations.php: 2467
deleteSite() - Operations.php: 2524
downloadSite() - Operations.php: 2607
archiveSite()
Note: This may not include all affected endpoints within the application.
Impact
An authenticated attacker can make requests to interact with other users' sites. This can be used to enumerate, modify, and delete other users' sites and nodes.
Additionally, an authenticated attacker can use the 'getConfig' endpoint to pull the application's configuration, which may store cleartext credentials.
PoC - /deleteNode
- Browse to the 'site.json' file for a target site, and note the ID of the item to delete.
- Make a POST request to the 'deleteNode' endpoint with a valid JWT and the target object ID.
Site before editing:
Site after editing:
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | elmsln/haxcms | < 11.0.14 | 11.0.14 |
| npm package | @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs | < 11.0.14 | 11.0.14 |
References
- https://github.com/haxtheweb/issues/security/advisories/GHSA-9jr9-8ff3-m894
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-54378
- https://github.com/haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs/commit/5826e9b7f3d8c7c7635411768b86b199fad36969
- https://github.com/haxtheweb/haxcms-php/commit/24d30222481ada037597c4d7c0a51a1ef7af6cfd
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-285, CWE-862- Platform
- Composer, npm
- Package
elmsln/haxcms, @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs- Disclosed
- 25.07.2025
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-9jr9-8ff3-m894 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: @haxtheweb/haxcms-nodejs
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 16
- First → latest
- 06.2025 05.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 2
- High 10
- Medium 4
Disclosures per year
- 2025: 8
- 2026: 8
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