CVE-2026-112953 in ApostropheCMS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2026
ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system. Prior to 3.7.1 of the import-export module, predictable export archive filenames allow an unauthenticated requester to download another user's export from publicly readable export storage before the archive expires or is removed. A user with export permission must first create the archive, and sites with exports disabled, private upload storage, or authenticated upload delivery are not exposed through this network-download path. This issue is fixed in version 3.7.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2026
ApostropheCMS, a widely utilized open-source content management system built on Node.js, contains a significant information disclosure vulnerability within its import-export module prior to version 3.7.1. The core of this flaw lies in the generation and handling of filenames for exported data archives. Specifically, these archive filenames are predictable rather than random or cryptographically secure. This predictability allows an unauthenticated attacker to anticipate the exact filename that will be assigned to a user's export file once it is generated by the system. Because the storage location for these exports was configured as publicly readable in many default or standard setups, the combination of known filenames and accessible directories creates a direct path for unauthorized data retrieval.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on the exposure of sensitive content belonging to other users within the CMS environment. For an attacker to exploit this flaw, they must first identify that another user has initiated an export process, which typically requires some level of visibility into site activity or simply knowledge of common naming conventions used by the application. Once the archive is created and stored in a publicly accessible directory before it expires or is manually removed, any individual on the network can download the file without needing valid credentials for ApostropheCMS itself. This represents a severe breach of confidentiality, as export files often contain comprehensive dumps of site content, user data, configurations, and potentially other sensitive information that was intended to be private until transferred securely by an authorized administrator or editor.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-201: Information Exposure Through Sent Data, specifically where the exposure occurs due to predictable identifiers in publicly accessible resources. It also relates closely to CWE-538: Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory, as the system fails to ensure that files containing sensitive data are not placed in locations with excessive access permissions by default. In terms of attack vectors, this falls under ATT&CK technique T1005: Data from Local System, where an adversary retrieves data directly from local storage without needing network-based exploitation beyond simple file retrieval requests. The lack of authentication requirements for accessing these specific files means that the barrier to entry is minimal, relying solely on the attacker's ability to guess or determine the filename structure used by the application during export operations.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve upgrading to version 3.7.1 or later, where this issue has been resolved through improved handling of archive filenames and storage permissions. For organizations unable to upgrade immediately, several compensating controls can be implemented to reduce risk. Administrators should ensure that upload storage is configured as private rather than public, which prevents direct HTTP access to the files regardless of filename predictability. Additionally, enabling authenticated delivery for uploads ensures that even if a file path is known, it cannot be downloaded without valid session credentials. Disabling the export feature entirely on sites where it is not strictly necessary also eliminates this attack vector by removing the generation and storage of these vulnerable archives altogether. Regular audits of directory permissions and implementation of strict access control lists on content delivery networks or web servers hosting static exports are essential steps to prevent similar information leakage in other systems.