FearlessCMS debug scripts skip login, allowing file access and XSS
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Information disclosure, Security bypass, Cross-site scripting
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-200, CWE-288 and CWE-79.
Summary
FearlessCMS before 0.1.4 has debug and test PHP scripts under admin/ that perform privileged actions without login or CSRF checks (CWE-306). An unauthenticated remote attacker can read and write .md files on the server, including outside the content directory. Stored JavaScript can run in public pages, steal sessions and compromise administrators who view the affected content. The scripts also allow reflected cross-site scripting and disk exhaustion.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
Description from the CNA
FearlessCMS is a flat-file `content` management system centered on simplicity and open source. Prior to version 0.1.4, five debug/test PHP scripts under `admin/` perform privileged operations without `isLoggedIn()` authentication checks, CSRF protection or adequate `path` validation. On PHP's built-in development server, including the default Docker deployment, `router.php` checks an unnormalized admin URI prefix while the filesystem resolves dot segments, so `/./admin/` bypasses the admin login gate and executes those scripts directly. In `admin/debug_save_flow.php`, attacker-controlled `path` and `content` reach `file_put_contents` for arbitrary `.md` writes under `content`/ or outside it through `path` traversal, enabling site defacement and stored JavaScript in public pages; `print_r($_POST)` output without `htmlspecialchars` escaping also causes reflected cross-site scripting. The `admin/debug_content.php` `path` parameter reaches `scandir()`, `file_get_contents()` and `posix_getpwuid()`, permitting arbitrary directory enumeration and `.md` file reads that expose absolute paths, ownership, permissions, hashes and `content` previews. The `admin/preview-handler.php` endpoint accepts JSON `content` and `title` and writes enumerable files under `content/_preview/`, enabling stored cross-site scripting and disk exhaustion. The `admin/testdebug.php` endpoint appends to `admin/testdebug.log` without authentication, also enabling disk exhaustion. The `admin/test_redirect.php` script exposes a test artifact but escapes its inputs and is not itself an XSS sink. Stored script execution can steal sessions and compromise administrators when they view affected `content`. Reads and writes execute with PHP's privileges; the tested deployment runs PHP as root, amplifying filesystem impact. This issue is fixed in version 0.1.4.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fearlessgeekmedia | FearlessCMS | before 0.1.4 | 0.1.4 | Patch available | CNA |
- FearlessCMS Vendorfearlessgeekmedia Affected before 0.1.4 Fixed in 0.1.4 Patch available CNA
Remediation
Upgrade FearlessCMS to version 0.1.4, which fixes this issue.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-29
- Fix · CNA FearlessCMS (fearlessgeekmedia) Fixed in 0.1.4
Timeline
- 2026-10-28 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-63190
- 2026-10-29 CISA SSVC decision points changed
- 2026-10-29 Priority changed: MEDIUM → HIGH
References
More fearlessgeekmedia vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-71770 Unvalidated update URL in FearlessCMS enables remote code execution CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.1
- TI-2025-35343 Directory Traversal vulnerability in Fearless Geek Media FearlessCMS v.0.0.2-15 allows a… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2025-35342 Directory Traversal vulnerability in Fearless Geek Media FearlessCMS v.0.0.2-15 allows a… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2025-35341 Cross Site Scripting vulnerability in Fearless Geek Media FearlessCMS v.0.0.2-15 allows a… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.1
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences