CVE-2023-32679

Craft CMS vulnerable to Remote Code Execution via unrestricted file extension

    /**
     * Searches for a template files, and returns the first match if there is one.
     *
     * @param string $basePath The base path to be looking in.
     * @param string $name The name of the template to be looking for.
     * @param bool $publicOnly Whether to only look for public templates (template paths that don’t start with the private template trigger).
     * @return string|null The matching file path, or `null`.
     */
    private function _resolveTemplate(string $basePath, string $name, bool $publicOnly): ?string
    {
        // Normalize the path and name
        $basePath = FileHelper::normalizePath($basePath);
        $name = trim(FileHelper::normalizePath($name), '/');

        // $name could be an empty string (e.g. to load the homepage template)
        if ($name !== '') {
            if ($publicOnly && preg_match(sprintf('/(^|\/)%s/', preg_quote($this->_privateTemplateTrigger, '/')), $name)) {
                return null;
            }

            // Maybe $name is already the full file path
            $testPath = $basePath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $name;

            if (is_file($testPath)) {
                return $testPath;
            }

            foreach ($this->_defaultTemplateExtensions as $extension) {
                $testPath = $basePath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $name . '.' . $extension;

                if (is_file($testPath)) {
                    return $testPath;
                }
            }
        }

        foreach ($this->_indexTemplateFilenames as $filename) {
            foreach ($this->_defaultTemplateExtensions as $extension) {
                $testPath = $basePath . ($name !== '' ? DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $name : '') . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $filename . '.' . $extension;

                if (is_file($testPath)) {
                    return $testPath;
                }
            }
        }

        return null;
    }

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

Additionally, there are 371 domains using CraftCMS exposed on Shodan, and among them, 33 servers have "stage" or "dev" included in their hostnames.

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)

CVE-2023-32679 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (High). The vector is network-reachable, high 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 (4.4.6); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

Recommend taking measures by referring to https://github.com/craftcms/cms-ghsa-9f84-5wpf-3vcf/pull/1

            // Maybe $name is already the full file path
            $testPath = $basePath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $name;

            if (is_file($testPath)) {
                // Remedation: Verify template file extension, before return
                $fileExt = pathinfo($testPath, PATHINFO_EXTENSION);
                $isDisallowed = false;

                if (isset($fileExt)) {
                    $isDisallowed = !in_array($fileExt, $this->_defaultTemplateExtensions);

                    if($isDisallowed) {
                        return null;
                    } else {
                        return $testPath;
                    }
                }
            }

1. What is CVE-2023-32679? CVE-2023-32679 is a high-severity security vulnerability in craftcms/cms (composer), affecting versions >= 4.0.0, < 4.4.6. It is fixed in 4.4.6.
2. How severe is CVE-2023-32679? CVE-2023-32679 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (High). 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.
3. Which versions of craftcms/cms are affected by CVE-2023-32679? craftcms/cms (composer) versions >= 4.0.0, < 4.4.6 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2023-32679? Yes. CVE-2023-32679 is fixed in 4.4.6. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2023-32679 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-32679 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2023-32679 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2023-32679? Upgrade craftcms/cms to 4.4.6 or later.

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