CVE-2024-47780 in TYPO3
Summary
by MITRE • 10/08/2024
TYPO3 is a free and open source Content Management Framework. Backend users could see items in the backend page tree without having access if the mounts pointed to pages restricted for their user/group, or if no mounts were configured but the pages allowed access to "everybody." However, affected users could not manipulate these pages. Users are advised to update to TYPO3 versions 10.4.46 ELTS, 11.5.40 LTS, 12.4.21 LTS, 13.3.1 that fix the problem described. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2025
This vulnerability in TYPO3 represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the security model of the content management framework. The issue affects backend users who can inadvertently view restricted content within the page tree structure even when their access permissions should prevent such visibility. The vulnerability manifests in two primary scenarios: when user mounts point to pages that are restricted for their specific user or group permissions, and when no mounts are configured but the pages themselves are configured to allow access to "everybody." This represents a privilege escalation risk where unauthorized visibility of content can occur without the ability to modify or manipulate the restricted pages. The flaw exists at the authorization layer of the TYPO3 backend, specifically within the page tree rendering and access control mechanisms that determine what content users can see based on their configured permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access validation during page tree rendering operations within the TYPO3 backend. When users navigate through the page tree structure, the system should enforce strict access controls to ensure that only authorized users can view specific pages based on their user group memberships and configured mounts. However, the vulnerability allows for bypassing these access controls through improper handling of mount point configurations and default access permissions. This type of flaw typically falls under CWE-285: Improper Authorization, which specifically addresses situations where systems fail to properly verify that users have appropriate permissions for accessing resources. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege, where users can see more content than they should be authorized to view, potentially exposing sensitive information or internal organizational structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a potential attack surface for reconnaissance activities and could enable more sophisticated attacks. While affected users cannot manipulate the pages they can see, the ability to observe restricted content provides valuable intelligence about the organization's content structure and potentially sensitive information contained within those pages. Attackers could use this visibility to understand the content hierarchy, identify critical sections of the website, or plan more targeted attacks against specific areas of the system. This vulnerability affects multiple TYPO3 versions including the long-term support releases 10.4.46, 11.5.40, 12.4.21, and 13.3.1, indicating that the flaw has persisted across several major release lines and affects organizations using various TYPO3 versions. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning for organizations that rely heavily on TYPO3 for managing sensitive content or that have complex user permission structures.
Organizations should immediately update their TYPO3 installations to the patched versions mentioned in the advisory to remediate this vulnerability. The recommended versions include TYPO3 10.4.46 ELTS, 11.5.40 LTS, 12.4.21 LTS, and 13.3.1, which contain the necessary fixes for the access control bypass issue. Given that no known workarounds exist for this vulnerability, organizations should not rely on temporary mitigations and must implement the official patches as soon as possible. The vulnerability does not align with traditional attack patterns in the ATT&CK framework but represents a significant concern for the privilege escalation category, specifically under the technique of "Access Token Manipulation" or more accurately "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" where unauthorized access to information can lead to broader security implications. This issue highlights the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web content management systems and the need for regular security updates to protect against such fundamental authorization bypass vulnerabilities. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their TYPO3 installations to identify any potential exploitation of this vulnerability and ensure that all user permissions are properly configured to prevent unauthorized visibility of content.