GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw
Craft CMS: Authorization bypass in `entries/move-to-section` via missing target-section save check
Blast Radius
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Description
Summary
The EntriesController::actionMoveToSection() endpoint checks only whether the current user can view the destination section, but it does not require permission to save entries into that section. A low-privileged authenticated control-panel user who can move an entry out of its current section can therefore move that entry into a different section where they have read access but no write access.
Details
The vulnerable route is implemented in EntriesController.php:465:
The destination check is only viewEntries:$section->uid . The source-entry gate is Entry::canMove(), which verifies whether the user can move the existing entry based on the source section:
This closes the exploit chain:
- External source: authenticated CP request to
entries/move-to-section. - Missing authorization check: destination section requires only
viewEntries, notsaveEntries. - Privileged sink:
moveEntryToSection()rewritessectionIdand saves the entry into the unauthorized section.
Preconditions derived from the code:
- The attacker is authenticated to the control panel.
- Entry
345is movable by the attacker from its current section. - The attacker can satisfy
viewEntrieson destination section12. - The attacker does not have
saveEntries:DESTINATION_UID, which is the missing check that makes the bypass possible.
Result:
- The controller accepts the request because
viewEntries:$section->uidpasses. - Each source entry passes
canMove()based on source-section permissions. moveEntryToSection()updates the entry’ssectionIdand saves it.- The entry is now located in a section where the attacker did not have write permission.
Impact
This breaks the intended section-level authorization model. A user with limited content permissions can inject or relocate content into a protected section, interfering with editorial boundaries, approval workflows, section-specific business logic, and content ownership expectations.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | craftcms/cms | ≥ 5.0.0-RC1&&< 5.9.21 | 5.9.21 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for craftcms/cms. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update craftcms/cms to 5.9.21 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-43cq-c2gq-pfpw across Packagist dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.