Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessObtain admin creds with manage_template_access
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DeliveryOpen admin template editor
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ExploitSubmit folder/file with ../ traversal
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ExecutionOverwrite live PHP file
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PersistTrigger overwritten PHP
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ImpactExecute code as web-server user
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 ClipBucket v5 administrator account holding the manage_template_access permission and access to the admin_area template editor (template_editor.php). The attacker supplies directory-traversal sequences in the folder/file parameters to escape the styles/layout directory; the pre-patch code (regex /.*\.(.*)$/ accepting any extension plus an insufficient realpath prefix check) permits writing executable PHP outside the intended directory. Limiting factors: the admin privilege and manage_template_access gate (PR:H) mean this is not exploitable by unauthenticated or low-privileged users; it is confined to versions before 5.5.3-#197. |
| Impact | This is a genuine but access-gated risk. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N) correctly reflects network-reachable, low-complexity exploitation that nonetheless requires high privileges - specifically an authenticated administrator holding the manage_template_access permission. The VC:H/VI:H/VA:H rating is justified because the outcome is arbitrary PHP file overwrite yielding remote code execution as the web-server user. A public POC exists (hackmd writeup by @leediay) and the vendor patch is confirmed (commit f31de49b, release 5.5.3-#197), so exploitation is documented and reproducible - but this is 'publicly available exploit code exists,' NOT active exploitation: there is no CISA KEV listing and no EPSS score supplied. No SSVC decision data was provided. The high CVSS (8.6) is somewhat tempered by the PR:H requirement - an attacker must already be a privileged admin, which limits this to insider abuse, compromised-admin-credential, or privilege-chaining scenarios rather than mass unauthenticated exploitation. Net: real and weaponizable against exposed ClipBucket v5 admin panels, but the admin gate and niche footprint keep realistic exploitation targeted rather than widespread. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker who has obtained ClipBucket v5 admin credentials (or an insider) with manage_template_access opens the template editor and submits a file/folder value containing '../' sequences pointing outside the styles/layout directory to a live PHP file, overwriting it with attacker-controlled PHP. On the next request to that path the injected code executes as the web-server user, granting remote code execution. A public POC (hackmd) documents the exact traversal, lowering the skill barrier. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 25, 2026
Authenticated administrators of ClipBucket v5 who hold the manage_template_access permission can abuse a path traversal in the admin template editor (template_editor.php) to write attacker-controlled PHP files outside the intended styles/layout directory and have them executed as the web server user, yielding remote code execution on all versions before 5.5.3-#197. Publicly available exploit code exists (a HackMD writeup linked from the CVE record), and the vendor has released a fix in commit f31de49b and release tag 5.5.3-#197; the bug is access-gated by the administrator privilege and permission requirement (CVSS 4.0 base 8.6, PR:H), and there is no confirmed active exploitation in CISA KEV. This is a genuine but access-gated risk that primarily matters where multiple admin accounts exist or admin credentials are weak or reused.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: upgrade ClipBucket v5 to version 5.5.3-#197 or later (release tag at https://github.com/MacWarrior/clipbucket-v5/releases/tag/5.5.3-%23197), or apply commit f31de49b2194482ffef7147aa1e9b1c8f0f04eb7, which restricts edited file extensions to html and css and validates requested files against an explicit allow-list. If immediate upgrade is impossible, remove the manage_template_access permission from all but essential trusted administrators and audit admin accounts for weak or shared credentials, since the attack requires an authenticated administrator; note the trade-off that legitimate template editing will be blocked for demoted users. As a compensating control, harden file permissions so the web server user cannot write to PHP directories (for example, make the ClipBucket upload/template paths read-only to the web user) and deploy WAF or reverse-proxy rules that reject traversal sequences (../, encoded variants) in the folder, file, and sel_dir parameters of admin_area/template_editor.php; these reduce but do not eliminate risk, since an admin-level attacker may find alternate write paths, and overly strict WAF rules can break legitimate admin template editing. Where the template editor is not operationally required, disable or block access to admin_area/template_editor.php entirely, accepting that administrators lose in-browser template customization. Consult the VulnCheck advisory https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/clipbucket-v5-before-5.5.3-197-path-traversal-via-template-editor-php and the public analysis at https://hackmd.io/@leediay/S1AIRjzqfx for additional detection guidance.
Affected VersionsENISA
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Technical ContextAI · show details
The flaw is a classic CWE-22 path traversal (improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory) in the admin-area template file editor of ClipBucket v5, an open-source PHP video-sharing CMS. Pre-patch code in upload/admin_area/template_editor.php validated the requested file using the permissive regular expression /.*\.(.*)$/ (which accepted any extension) and relied on a realpath prefix check against the styles directory that could be bypassed with directory traversal sequences supplied in the folder and file parameters; the write path used $_POST['file'] while other logic read from the request, contributing to inconsistent validation. Because the traversal escaped the styles/layout directory, an attacker could overwrite arbitrary PHP files that the web server user could execute. The fix (commit f31de49b2194482ffef7147aa1e9b1c8f0f04eb7) hardens the extension regex to /.*\.(html|css)$/ and adds an explicit allow-list check that the requested file appears in the known $files, $files['blocks'], or $css_files arrays, and switches the write branch to $_REQUEST['file']. CPE data identifies the affected package as cpe:2.3:a:macwarrior:clipbucket-v5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*, and the advisory is tracked by VulnCheck; the tags PHP, RCE, Path Traversal reflect that the outcome is code execution rather than just file disclosure.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Network-reachable admin panel with low complexity, but exploitation demands admin plus manage_template_access (PR:H); PHP overwrite yields full RCE as web-server user, so C/I/A all High, scope unchanged.
Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).
CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck
DescriptionCVE.org
ClipBucket v5 before 5.5.3-#197 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the admin template editor that allows authenticated administrators to overwrite PHP files by supplying directory traversal sequences in the folder parameter. Attackers with manage_template_access permission can traverse outside the layout directory to modify executable PHP files and achieve remote code execution as the web server user.
Technical POC Analysis
CWE-22 path traversal in ClipBucket v5's admin template editor, upload/adminarea/templateeditor.php.
Full technical POC analysis - root cause, step-by-step exploitation and patch breakdown - is part of the Pro and Business plans.
Executive ViewAI
ClipBucket v5 deployments running versions prior to 5.5.3-#197 are exposed to a path traversal flaw in the admin template editor that allows a privileged administrator to write and execute arbitrary PHP files, resulting in full remote code execution under the web server account. The vulnerability is access-gated, so the practical risk concentrates in organizations with multiple administrator accounts, loosely assigned permissions, or weak or reused admin credentials, where a single compromised or malicious admin could pivot to server-wide compromise. Because publicly available exploit code exists and a vendor fix is ready, leadership should prioritize rapid patching and administrative account hygiene rather than treating this as a theoretical issue.
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
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths 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-2026-87315
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
GitHub
Exploit-DB