Summary
django CMS: Clipboard copy IDOR discloses unauthorized plugin content
The clipboard copy paths of the copy_plugins admin endpoint validate only the target (the user's own clipboard) and skip source-side authorization. A staff user can copy plugins out of a placeholder they have no permission on into their clipboard, then read the (secret) content.
Details
In cms/admin/placeholderadmin.py, _copy_plugin_to_clipboard and _copy_placeholder_to_clipboard check has_copy_plugins_permission, which only evaluates request.toolbar.clipboard.has_add_plugins_permission(...), the
clipboard belongs to the requesting user, and check_source is likewise applied only to the clipboard. The source placeholder identified by the attacker-supplied source_placeholder_id / source_plugin_id is never authorization-checked. (The placeholder-to-placeholder copy path, has_copy_from_placeholder_permission, correctly checks both sides.)
Impact
A staff user holding the global add permission for a plugin type, but with no access to a given placeholder/page, can copy that placeholder's plugins into their own clipboard and read content (e.g. link names/URLs, text) they cannot reach through the normal edit endpoints.
Requires CMS_PERMISSION=True with per-placeholder/page restrictions.
Patches
Fixed in 5.0.8: the clipboard copy paths now also verify source-side permission (has_add_plugins_permission + check_source on the source placeholder), matching placeholder-to-placeholder copy.
Workarounds
None. Upgrade is recommended.
Credits
Reported by the security team at the University of Sydney ([@reporter]).
Impact
CVE-2026-54622 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). 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 (5.0.8); 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-54622? CVE-2026-54622 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in django-cms (pip), affecting versions < 5.0.8. It is fixed in 5.0.8.
- How severe is CVE-2026-54622? CVE-2026-54622 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (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 versions of django-cms are affected by CVE-2026-54622? django-cms (pip) versions < 5.0.8 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-54622? Yes. CVE-2026-54622 is fixed in 5.0.8. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-54622 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-54622 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-2026-54622 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-2026-54622? Upgrade
django-cmsto 5.0.8 or later.