Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessAuthenticate to icms2 as low-privilege user
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DeliveryCraft request with traversal in 'size' argument
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ExploitTrigger files_delete_file path traversal
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ExecutionDelete arbitrary files outside upload dir
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ImpactDisrupt site availability
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Requires an authenticated session with at least low privileges (CVSS PR:L) on an InstantSoft icms2 instance at version 2.18.2 or earlier, plus the ability to reach the image/file handling feature (Image Handler) that invokes files_delete_file. The concrete prerequisite is attacker control over the 'size' argument, into which path-traversal sequences are injected; no user interaction is required (UI:N). Limiting factors: exploitation is gated by valid authentication (not anonymous), impact is confined to availability (file deletion) with no confidentiality or integrity gain per the vector, and the issue is fixed in the patched build, so patched or non-vulnerable versions are not exploitable. |
| Impact | This is a moderate, not urgent, priority. The vendor-supplied CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N) describes a network-reachable, low-complexity flaw but explicitly requires PR:L - an authenticated account with at least low privileges - which materially limits the attacker population to registered/logged-in users of the icms2 site rather than anonymous internet traffic. Impact is narrow: the vector sets VC:N/VI:N and only VA:L (low availability impact, no confidentiality or integrity loss claimed), consistent with a file-deletion path traversal that can disrupt files but is not scored as code execution or data theft. The E:P subscore and the description ('the exploit has been made public') confirm publicly available exploit code exists, but there is NO CISA KEV listing and NO EPSS score provided, so there is no evidence of active, widespread exploitation - POC availability and active exploitation are distinct signals and only the former is present here. One notable conflict to flag: the description attributes the bug to files_delete_file in system/fields/image.php (the Image Handler) via a 'size' argument, yet the referenced patch commit modifies upload/MIME-validation logic in system/core/uploader.php, system/core/uploadfile.php and system/fields/file.php, not a delete routine in image.php - verify the true root cause and fix scope with the vendor. Net: a real-but-low-urgency issue gated by authentication and limited impact, where public POC raises the floor for opportunistic abuse by authenticated users but low prevalence and no KEV keep it well below critical. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An authenticated low-privilege icms2 user submits a crafted request to the image/file handling feature, manipulating the 'size' argument with path-traversal sequences (e.g. ../../) so the files_delete_file operation resolves outside the intended upload directory. A public proof-of-concept exists, so the attacker deletes server files they should not be able to reach, causing availability disruption. Because the CVSS vector is AV:N/AC:L, the request can be sent remotely over the network with low effort once a valid session is held. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 11, 2026
An authenticated user with low privileges on an InstantCMS 2 (icms2) installation running version 2.18.2 or earlier can manipulate the 'size' argument passed to the image handler's file-deletion routine, using path-traversal sequences to delete files outside the intended upload directory. Impact is limited to availability and, to a lesser degree, integrity of files on the server - there is no confidentiality gain per the assessed vector - but deletions can break the site or remove stored content. Publicly available exploit code exists for this issue, and while it is not confirmed as actively exploited (no CISA KEV listing), the vendor has published a fix commit, so unpatched instances should be prioritized for update. EPSS data was not provided for this CVE.
RemediationAI
Update InstantCMS 2 to a build that includes the vendor patch commit 03d70937f1ff97031523222808726994b8b79379 (https://github.com/instantsoft/icms2/commit/03d70937f1ff97031523222808726994b8b79379); the upstream fix is available, though the provided data does not enumerate a specific tagged release number beyond the 2.18.2 affected ceiling, so confirm with the project repository or the VulDB advisory (https://vuldb.com/vuln/416224) which release carries it. Patch status: vendor patch commit identified for this CVE. If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict access to the image/file field editing features to trusted administrative roles only (this directly removes the low-privilege PR:L path the exploit relies on, at the cost of workflow flexibility), validate or reject 'size' values containing '../' or absolute path components before they reach files_delete_file, and deploy a WAF rule that blocks traversal sequences in parameters sent to image/file handlers (imperfect, since encoding variations can bypass generic signatures). Maintain offline backups of uploaded content and configuration so deletions can be restored, and monitor web-server logs for unlink attempts referencing paths outside the upload directory.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
InstantCMS 2 is a PHP-based content management system, and the flaw sits in the image-handling field type at system/fields/image.php, specifically the files_delete_file function, which builds a deletion path from a 'size' parameter without neutralizing '../' sequences (CWE-22, Path Traversal). Because the attacker controls that argument, the resolved path can escape the upload/storage directory and unlink arbitrary files the web server user can write to. The CPE string cpe:2.3:a:instantsoft:icms2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* reflects that the advisory covers the icms2 product line, with affected builds through 2.18.2. The vendor's fix commit 03d70937f1ff97031523222808726994b8b79379 also hardens adjacent upload logic: system/core/uploadfile.php previously returned true from the MIME/extension allow-list check whenever allowed_mime was null (effectively permitting any file type), and the patch changes that to reject uploads when either the detected MIME or the allow-list is missing; system/core/uploader.php error messaging was adjusted for empty extension lists, and system/fields/file.php now marks the file field as 'required' with a validation rule. This indicates the release addressed a broader family of input-validation weaknesses around file handling, not only the traversal in the delete path.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
Network-reachable (AV:N) and low-complexity (AC:L) but needs a low-privilege authenticated account (PR:L); arbitrary file deletion yields limited integrity and availability impact (I:L/A:L), no confidentiality (C:N).
Primary rating from Vendor (VulDB).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulDB
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
A vulnerability was found in InstantSoft icms2 up to 2.18.2. Impacted is the function files_delete_file of the file system/fields/image.php of the component Image Handler. Performing a manipulation of the argument size results in path traversal. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been made public and could be used. The patch is named 03d70937f1ff97031523222808726994b8b79379. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.
SQL Injection in GitHub repository instantsoft/icms2 prior to 2.16.1. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.2), this vulnerability
Insufficient authenticity verification in the PayPal billing handler of InstantSoft icms2 (version 2.18.2 and earlier) l
Stored cross-site scripting in InstantCMS 2 (icms2) up to 2.18.2 lets an authenticated low-privilege user inject script
EUVD-2026-96870
GHSA-2x23-44x6-qv92
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
VulDB
Exploit-DB