CVE-2026-114544 in Media Bulk Upload Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2026
Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in Drupal Media Bulk Upload allows Forceful Browsing. This issue affects Media Bulk Upload versions: from 0.0.0 to 3.0.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2026
The Drupal module known as Media Bulk Upload, specifically within version ranges extending from the initial release up through version 3.0.6, contains a critical access control flaw that permits unauthorized users to perform forceful browsing operations against sensitive system resources. This vulnerability stems directly from an incorrect authorization mechanism embedded in the module's codebase, which fails to adequately verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary permissions before processing requests related to media file management and bulk upload functionalities. In secure software architecture, every endpoint or action that interacts with server-side data must enforce strict identity verification and privilege checks; however, this implementation allows authenticated users who lack specific administrative rights for media handling to bypass these restrictions by directly manipulating request parameters or URLs associated with the bulk upload process.
From a technical perspective, the root cause of this issue lies in the absence of robust role-based access control validation at key points within the module's execution flow. When a user initiates a bulk upload operation or attempts to interact with uploaded media files through the provided interface, the system does not sufficiently validate that the current session holds the appropriate permissions defined by Drupal’s core security model. This oversight creates an opportunity for attackers who have valid login credentials but limited privileges within the CMS environment to escalate their effective access level. By exploiting this gap, such users can potentially view, modify, or delete media assets intended only for administrators or content editors with higher clearance levels. The flaw aligns closely with CWE-284, which describes Improper Access Control vulnerabilities where insufficient verification of authorization leads to unauthorized actions being executed on behalf of the user making the request.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it undermines the integrity and confidentiality of digital assets stored within a Drupal installation. Media files often contain proprietary information, customer data, or other sensitive content that requires strict access governance. If an attacker successfully exploits this forceful browsing capability, they may gain visibility into file structures, retrieve confidential documents, or even manipulate media metadata in ways that could disrupt business operations or lead to further exploitation vectors such as cross-site scripting if malicious files are uploaded and served later. Furthermore, the ability to bypass intended restrictions erodes trust in the platform’s security posture and can result in regulatory non-compliance depending on the nature of the exposed data. This behavior is consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, where adversaries leverage legitimate credentials to move laterally or access restricted resources without triggering typical intrusion detection alerts associated with brute-force attacks or credential stuffing.
To mitigate this risk, site administrators must immediately upgrade the Media Bulk Upload module to a version newer than 3.0.6, as these subsequent releases include patches that enforce proper authorization checks before allowing any interaction with bulk upload features. Until an update is applied, temporary mitigations should involve restricting access to the affected endpoints via web application firewall rules or by disabling the module entirely if its functionality is not strictly required for daily operations. Additionally, organizations should review their Drupal user role configurations to ensure that least-privilege principles are enforced across all modules and plugins installed on the platform. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on access control mechanisms can help identify similar weaknesses in other components before they are exploited by malicious actors seeking to compromise system integrity or exfiltrate sensitive information.