CVE-2025-54082 in nova-tiptap
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2025
marshmallow-packages/nova-tiptap is a rich text editor for Laravel Nova based on tiptap. Prior to 5.7.0, a vulnerability was discovered in the marshmallow-packages/nova-tiptap Laravel Nova package that allows unauthenticated users to upload arbitrary files to any Laravel disk configured in the application. The vulnerability is due to missing authentication middleware (Nova and Nova.Auth) on the /nova-tiptap/api/file upload endpoint, the lack of validation on uploaded files (no MIME/type or extension restrictions), and the ability for an attacker to choose the disk parameter dynamically. This means an attacker can craft a custom form and send a POST request to /nova-tiptap/api/file, supplying a valid CSRF token, and upload executable or malicious files (e.g., .php, binaries) to public disks such as local, public, or s3. If a publicly accessible storage path is used (e.g. S3 with public access, or Laravel’s public disk), the attacker may gain the ability to execute or distribute arbitrary files — amounting to a potential Remote Code Execution (RCE) vector in some environments. This vulnerability was fixed in 5.7.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2025
The CVE-2025-54082 vulnerability affects the marshmallow-packages/nova-tiptap Laravel Nova package, which serves as a rich text editor implementation based on tiptap technology. This package integrates with Laravel Nova's administrative interface, providing content editors with a WYSIWYG experience for managing textual content within Nova applications. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 5.7.0 and represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental security assumptions of Laravel's filesystem configuration. The flaw stems from inadequate access controls and validation mechanisms within the package's file upload endpoint, creating a pathway for unauthorized file manipulation that could lead to severe consequences including remote code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the absence of proper authentication middleware on the file upload endpoint at /nova-tiptap/api/file. This endpoint fails to enforce Nova's standard authentication checks that would normally require users to be logged in and authorized to perform administrative actions. Additionally, the package lacks any form of file validation or restriction mechanisms that would prevent malicious file uploads. Attackers can dynamically specify the disk parameter during the upload process, allowing them to target any configured Laravel filesystem disk including local storage, public disks, or cloud storage solutions like S3. The vulnerability manifests through a simple POST request that can be crafted by an attacker using standard HTTP tools, requiring only a valid CSRF token which can be obtained through various means including social engineering or by leveraging existing application functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file upload capabilities and represents a potential remote code execution vector depending on the application's storage configuration. When attackers target publicly accessible disks such as Laravel's default public disk or S3 buckets configured with public access, they can upload malicious files that become immediately accessible through the web server. This creates opportunities for attackers to upload PHP scripts, binary executables, or other malicious payloads that can be executed directly through web requests. The vulnerability's severity increases significantly in environments where the uploaded files are processed by the web server, potentially allowing for command execution, data exfiltration, or further compromise of the application infrastructure. This represents a classic privilege escalation attack pattern where unauthenticated users gain elevated capabilities through misconfigured access controls.
The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type, which addresses the issue of allowing file uploads without proper validation of file types or content. Additionally, it aligns with CWE-285: Improper Authorization, as the missing authentication checks fail to properly validate user permissions before allowing file operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability corresponds to T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application, where attackers leverage insecure configurations in web applications to gain unauthorized access. The attack chain typically involves reconnaissance to identify the vulnerable package version, crafting of malicious upload requests, and exploitation of the exposed filesystem access to achieve persistence or execute commands. The fix implemented in version 5.7.0 addresses these issues by adding proper authentication middleware, implementing MIME type validation, and restricting disk selection parameters to prevent arbitrary filesystem targeting. Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched version and review their storage configurations to ensure that sensitive disks are not publicly accessible, implementing proper access controls and file validation mechanisms across all file upload endpoints.
The remediation approach should include not only updating to the patched version but also implementing comprehensive security measures around file handling operations. This includes deploying proper input validation for file types, implementing content inspection for malicious payloads, and ensuring that all file upload endpoints require proper authentication and authorization checks. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of their Laravel application configurations to identify any other endpoints that may be vulnerable to similar authentication bypass issues, particularly those that handle file uploads or administrative operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of applying security best practices even in seemingly benign components like rich text editors, as these packages often integrate deeply with core application functionality and can become attack vectors when not properly secured.