CVE-2013-4188 in Plone
Summary
by MITRE
traverser.py in Plone 2.1 through 4.1, 4.2.x through 4.2.5, and 4.3.x through 4.3.1 allows remote attackers with administrator privileges to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and resource consumption) via unspecified vectors related to "retrieving information for certain resources."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4188 affects the Plone content management system across multiple versions including 2.1 through 4.1, 4.2.x through 4.2.5, and 4.3.x through 4.3.1. This issue resides within the traverser.py module which is responsible for handling resource traversal operations within the Plone framework. The flaw represents a significant security concern as it allows authenticated administrators to trigger a denial of service condition that can consume system resources indefinitely.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of resource retrieval operations within the traversal mechanism. When an administrator accesses certain resources through the system, the traverser.py script enters into an infinite loop during the information retrieval process. This occurs due to inadequate boundary checking and loop termination conditions in the code that processes resource paths and references. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system attempts to resolve complex resource relationships that create circular reference scenarios within the traversal logic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to Plone installations as it can be exploited by malicious administrators or compromised accounts with administrative privileges. The infinite loop consumes CPU cycles and memory resources continuously, potentially leading to system instability, application unresponsiveness, and complete service disruption. Organizations relying on Plone for content management may experience significant downtime and performance degradation, especially in environments where administrative access is more widely distributed or where account compromise is possible.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-835, which specifically addresses infinite loops in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks. The impact extends beyond simple resource exhaustion as it can be leveraged to disrupt business operations and potentially mask other attacks by consuming system resources that would otherwise be available for legitimate operations. Organizations should prioritize patching affected versions to address this vulnerability and implement monitoring for unusual resource consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies include immediate application of vendor patches for all affected Plone versions, implementation of access controls to limit administrative privileges, and establishment of monitoring protocols for abnormal resource usage. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to identify and block exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the Plone framework or related systems. The fix typically involves correcting the traversal logic to properly handle circular references and implementing appropriate loop termination conditions to prevent resource exhaustion.