Summary
Bolt CMS vulnerable to authenticated remote code execution
Bolt CMS versions 3.7.0 and earlier contain a chain of vulnerabilities that together allow an authenticated user to achieve remote code execution. A user with valid credentials can inject arbitrary PHP code into the displayname field of the user profile, which is rendered unsanitized in backend templates. The attacker can then list and rename cached session files via the /async/browse/cache/.sessions and /async/folder/rename endpoints. By renaming a .session file to a path under the publicly accessible /files/ directory with a .php extension, the attacker can turn the injected code into an executable web shell. Finally, the attacker triggers the payload via a crafted HTTP GET request to the rogue file.
NOTE: The vendor announced that Bolt 3 reached end-of-life after 31 December 2021.
Impact
Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution within the application's privilege context.
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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In the interim: Never evaluate untrusted input as code. Use sandboxed evaluation environments if dynamic execution is required.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2025-34086? CVE-2025-34086 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in bolt/bolt (composer), affecting versions <= 3.7.0. No fixed version is listed yet. Untrusted input is evaluated as executable code within the application's runtime environment.
- Which versions of bolt/bolt are affected by CVE-2025-34086? bolt/bolt (composer) versions <= 3.7.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2025-34086? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2025-34086 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2025-34086 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2025-34086 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-2025-34086 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-2025-34086? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Never evaluate untrusted input as code. Use sandboxed evaluation environments if dynamic execution is required.