CVE-2026-33549 in SPIP
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2026
SPIP 4.4.10 through 4.4.12 before 4.4.13 allows unintended privilege assignment (of administrator privileges) during the editing of an author data structure because of STATUT mishandling.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-33549 affects SPIP content management systems version 4.4.10 through 4.4.12 prior to 4.4.13, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that undermines the system's access control mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of the STATUT parameter within the author data structure editing functionality, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege assignment that could allow attackers to elevate their privileges to administrator level. The flaw specifically manifests when administrators or users with sufficient permissions attempt to modify author information, where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the STATUT field, leading to potential privilege escalation attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's user management subsystem where the STATUT parameter controls user roles and permissions within the SPIP framework. When editing author data, the system should validate that only authorized users can assign or modify administrator privileges, but due to inadequate input validation, malicious actors can manipulate the STATUT field to grant themselves or other users elevated privileges. This represents a classic case of insecure privilege management where the system fails to enforce proper access controls during user data modification operations. The vulnerability can be exploited through direct manipulation of the STATUT parameter during author data editing processes, potentially allowing attackers to bypass normal access controls and assume administrative responsibilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of the SPIP platform. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains full administrative control over the content management system, enabling them to modify content, manage users, access sensitive data, and potentially use the compromised system as a foothold for further attacks within the network. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete system compromise, data breaches, and unauthorized access to confidential information. The impact is particularly severe given that SPIP is commonly used for managing websites and content that may contain sensitive information, making the potential for data exposure and system compromise significant.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching to version 4.4.13 or later, which addresses the STATUT parameter handling issue through proper input validation and access control enforcement. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and logging of user privilege changes to detect potential exploitation attempts, while ensuring that proper role-based access controls are enforced throughout the system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in privilege management, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to ensure no unauthorized privilege assignments have occurred and implement proper input sanitization and parameter validation to prevent similar issues in other components of the system.