Summary
Laravel Backpack CRUD: Arbitrary file deletion via attacker-controlled clear_<attr>[] in HasUploadFields::uploadMultipleFilesToDisk
HasUploadFields::uploadMultipleFilesToDisk (in src/app/Models/Traits/HasUploadFields.php) reads file paths from the clear_<attribute>[] request input and deletes them from the configured storage disk without verifying that the paths belong to the current model record.
An authenticated user with Update access on any CRUD that wires uploadMultipleFilesToDisk as a model mutator (the pattern documented in the v5.x upload_multiple field guide) can supply arbitrary disk-relative paths in clear_<attr>[] to delete files that were never associated with the record they are editing.
The safe pattern already exists in the codebase: src/app/Library/Uploaders/MultipleFiles.php intersects the requested deletions against the files currently stored in the database column before calling Storage::disk()->delete(). The trait method lacks that intersection.
Affected code
src/app/Models/Traits/HasUploadFields.php,uploadMultipleFilesToDisk(primary sink)src/app/Models/Traits/CrudTrait.php, mixesHasUploadFieldsinto all Backpack-managed models
The vulnerability is present in all 5.x, 6.x < 6.8.12, and 7.x < 7.0.35 releases.
Credits
Reported by Vishal Shukla (@shukla304).
Impact
An attacker with low-privilege Backpack admin access (e.g. a content editor) can delete any file under the configured disk root: other records' attachments, shared assets, or files placed on the same disk for operational purposes. No confidentiality impact (files cannot be read, only deleted).
CWE-285 (Authorization Bypass) / CWE-639 (IDOR on file deletion)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H = 8.1 High
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
CVE-2026-54178 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (6.8.12, 7.0.35); 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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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
Intersect $files_to_clear against the filenames currently persisted on the model before calling delete(), mirroring the logic already present in MultipleFiles::uploadFiles. Fixed in 6.8.12 and 7.0.35.
Deployments still using the uploadMultipleFilesToDisk mutator pattern from the v5.x docs should migrate to the Uploader API (MultipleFiles::class via config/backpack/crud.php), which applies the safe intersection automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-54178? CVE-2026-54178 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in backpack/crud (composer), affecting versions >= 5.0.0, < 6.0.0. It is fixed in 6.8.12, 7.0.35. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is CVE-2026-54178? CVE-2026-54178 has a CVSS score of 8.1 (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.
- Which versions of backpack/crud are affected by CVE-2026-54178? backpack/crud (composer) versions >= 5.0.0, < 6.0.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54178? Yes. CVE-2026-54178 is fixed in 6.8.12, 7.0.35. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-54178 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-54178 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-2026-54178 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-2026-54178?
- Upgrade
backpack/crudto 6.8.12 or later - Upgrade
backpack/crudto 7.0.35 or later
- Upgrade