Summary
Silverstripe has Incorrect Default Permissions
SilverStripe 4.5.0 allows attackers to read certain records that should not have been placed into a result set. This affects silverstripe/recipe-cms. The automatic permission-checking mechanism in the silverstripe/graphql module does not provide complete protection against lists that are limited (e.g., through pagination), resulting in records that should have failed a permission check being added to the final result set. GraphQL endpoints are configured by default (e.g., for assets), but the admin/graphql endpoint is access protected by default. This limits the vulnerability to all authenticated users, including those with limited permissions (e.g., where viewing records exposed through admin/graphql requires administrator permissions). However, if custom GraphQL endpoints have been configured for a specific implementation (usually under /graphql), this vulnerability could also be exploited through unauthenticated requests. This vulnerability only applies to reading records; it does not allow unauthorised changing of records.
Impact
CVE-2020-6165 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (4.5.3, 3.2.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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silverstripe/recipe-cms to 4.5.3 or later; silverstripe/graphql to 3.2.4 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2020-6165? CVE-2020-6165 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in silverstripe/recipe-cms (composer), affecting versions >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.3. It is fixed in 4.5.3, 3.2.4.
- How severe is CVE-2020-6165? CVE-2020-6165 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which packages are affected by CVE-2020-6165?
silverstripe/recipe-cms(composer) (versions >= 4.5.0, < 4.5.3)silverstripe/graphql(composer) (versions >= 3.2.0, < 3.2.4)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2020-6165? Yes. CVE-2020-6165 is fixed in 4.5.3, 3.2.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2020-6165 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-6165 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2020-6165 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2020-6165?
- Upgrade
silverstripe/recipe-cmsto 4.5.3 or later - Upgrade
silverstripe/graphqlto 3.2.4 or later
- Upgrade