CVE-2026-63190: Path Traversal (CVSS 9.4)

Description

FearlessCMS is a flat-file `content` management system centered on simplicity and open source. Prior to version 0.1.4, five debug/test PHP scripts under `admin/` perform privileged operations without `isLoggedIn()` authentication checks, CSRF protection or adequate `path` validation. On PHP's built-in development server, including the default Docker deployment, `router.php` checks an unnormalized admin URI prefix while the filesystem resolves dot segments, so `/./admin/` bypasses the admin login gate and executes those scripts directly. In `admin/debug_save_flow.php`, attacker-controlled `path` and `content` reach `file_put_contents` for arbitrary `.md` writes under `content`/ or outside it through `path` traversal, enabling site defacement and stored JavaScript in public pages; `print_r($_POST)` output without `htmlspecialchars` escaping also causes reflected cross-site scripting. The `admin/debug_content.php` `path` parameter reaches `scandir()`, `file_get_contents()` and `posix_getpwuid()`, permitting arbitrary directory enumeration and `.md` file reads that expose absolute paths, ownership, permissions, hashes and `content` previews. The `admin/preview-handler.php` endpoint accepts JSON `content` and `title` and writes enumerable files under `content/_preview/`, enabling stored cross-site scripting and disk exhaustion. The `admin/testdebug.php` endpoint appends to `admin/testdebug.log` without authentication, also enabling disk exhaustion. The `admin/test_redirect.php` script exposes a test artifact but escapes its inputs and is not itself an XSS sink. Stored script execution can steal sessions and compromise administrators when they view affected `content`. Reads and writes execute with PHP's privileges; the tested deployment runs PHP as root, amplifying filesystem impact. This issue is fixed in version 0.1.4.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

9.4

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0054

Probability of exploitation

0.46%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-22 Path Traversal

CWE-79 Cross-site Scripting (XSS)

CWE-200 CWE-200

CWE-288 CWE-288

CWE-306 Missing Authentication

References

Other References

https://github.com/fearlessgeekmedia/FearlessCMS/commit/59fb22cf989b5ba14c387c3212e15b146e02cf9a https://github.com/fearlessgeekmedia/FearlessCMS/security/advisories/GHSA-3mq8-hrhf-7hv6 https://github.com/fearlessgeekmedia/FearlessCMS/tree/0.1.4 https://github.com/fearlessgeekmedia/FearlessCMS/security/advisories/GHSA-3mq8-hrhf-7hv6

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-63190? +

FearlessCMS is a flat-file `content` management system centered on simplicity and open source. Prior to version 0.1.4, five debug/test PHP scripts under `admin/` perform privileged operations without `isLoggedIn()` authentication checks, CSRF protection or adequate `path` validation. On PHP's built-in development server, including the default Docker deployment, `router.php` checks an unnormalized admin URI prefix while the filesystem resolves dot segments, so `/./admin/` bypasses the admin login gate and executes those scripts directly. In `admin/debug_save_flow.php`, attacker-controlled `path` and `content` reach `file_put_contents` for arbitrary `.md` writes under `content`/ or outside it through `path` traversal, enabling site defacement and stored JavaScript in public pages; `print_r($_POST)` output without `htmlspecialchars` escaping also causes reflected cross-site scripting. The `admin/debug_content.php` `path` parameter reaches `scandir()`, `file_get_contents()` and `posix_getpwuid()`, permitting arbitrary directory enumeration and `.md` file reads that expose absolute paths, ownership, permissions, hashes and `content` previews. The `admin/preview-handler.php` endpoint accepts JSON `content` and `title` and writes enumerable files under `content/_preview/`, enabling stored cross-site scripting and disk exhaustion. The `admin/testdebug.php` endpoint appends to `admin/testdebug.log` without authentication, also enabling disk exhaustion. The `admin/test_redirect.php` script exposes a test artifact but escapes its inputs and is not itself an XSS sink. Stored script execution can steal sessions and compromise administrators when they view affected `content`. Reads and writes execute with PHP's privileges; the tested deployment runs PHP as root, amplifying filesystem impact. This issue is fixed in version 0.1.4. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.4 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-63190? +

CVE-2026-63190 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.4 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately. The EPSS score is 0.0054, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-63190? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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