Path traversal in baserCMS BcThemeFile admin screen discloses files
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure, Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-200 and CWE-863.
Summary
baserCMS versions from 5.0.0 before 5.3.2 and from 5.4.0 before 5.4.2 contain a path traversal flaw (CWE-22) in the optional BcThemeFile plugin's admin screen. An authenticated user with only theme-file view permission can read files outside the theme directory, including config/install.php database credentials in MySQL or PostgreSQL deployments. The plugin is disabled by default, and unauthenticated requests are not sufficient to exploit the flaw.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
Description from the CNA
baserCMS is a website development framework. In versions 5.0.0 before 5.3.2 and 5.4.0 before 5.4.2, an authenticated user with only theme-file view permission can traverse outside the theme directory through the optional BcThemeFile plugin's Admin web screen. ThemeFilesController::parseArgs() constructs a path containing literal ../ segments, and the view and edit actions pass it to ThemeFilesService::get() without containment validation. Authorization checks the unresolved request path, after which ThemeFile::_getContents() reads the resolved file and exposes its contents in the form textarea. A client must preserve the dot segments rather than normalize them away. Readable files are limited to .php, .css, .js, and .ctp; this can disclose application source and config/install.php database credentials in MySQL or PostgreSQL deployments, while SQLite configurations have an empty database password. Reading config/app_local.php may expose the Security.salt fallback, which is effective only when not overridden by environment configuration. The flaw does not disclose .env, .pem, or SQLite .db files, does not itself permit file writes or code execution, and does not affect the separate API getFullpath() route. The plugin is disabled by default and unauthenticated requests are not sufficient. This issue has been patched in versions 5.3.2 and 5.4.2.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| baserproject | basercms | 5.0.0 to before 5.3.2; 5.4.0 to before 5.4.2 | 5.3.2, 5.4.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- basercms Vendorbaserproject Affected 5.0.0 to before 5.3.2; 5.4.0 to before 5.4.2 Fixed in 5.3.2, 5.4.2 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:basercms:basercms:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | baserproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:basercms:basercms:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·baserproject
Remediation
Update baserCMS to version 5.3.2 or later, or to version 5.4.2 or later.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28
- Fix · CNA basercms (baserproject) Fixed in 5.3.2, 5.4.2
Timeline
- 2026-10-23 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-114623
- 2026-10-23 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-23 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/baserproject/basercms/security/advisories/GHSA-rqr8-gmx5-xvrr
- https://github.com/baserproject/basercms/commit/53ecf177dfb10eb1fb89c4b42d313983329aa162
- https://github.com/baserproject/basercms/commit/9bc50d7a47cd834dad5ed80ad7a2e9fcb63f1321
- https://github.com/baserproject/basercms/releases/tag/5.3.2
- https://github.com/baserproject/basercms/releases/tag/5.4.2
More baserproject vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-53549 baserCMS < 5.3.0 SQL Injection and Code Injection via BcDatabaseService.php CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.6
- TI-2026-17563 baserCMS: OS Command Injection Leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2025-23967 baserCMS: unsafe File Upload Leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-79890 PHP object injection in baserCMS widget-area entity CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
- TI-2026-79888 baserCMS: Encoded path traversal bypass in the theme file API CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.2
- TI-2026-79891 Stored cross-site scripting in baserCMS via blog comment shortcodes CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences