CVE-2026-65476 in Civi Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/23/2026
Unauthenticated Broken Access Control in Civi <= 2.2.4 versions.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical broken access control flaw that affects CiviCRM versions 2.2.4 and earlier, constituting a CWE-285 access control weakness that allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges within the system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user permissions and authentication states during critical administrative operations, enabling attackers to manipulate access controls without proper credentials or authorization. This flaw directly violates fundamental security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten 2017 and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the application fails to properly verify whether a user possesses adequate permissions before executing sensitive operations such as modifying user accounts, accessing restricted administrative interfaces, or performing database modifications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that bypass normal authentication checks, potentially gaining access to confidential data, modifying system configurations, or escalating privileges to administrative levels without legitimate credentials. The vulnerability typically manifests through predictable parameter manipulation or by exploiting missing authorization checks in API endpoints and administrative functions.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to compromise entire organizational systems and potentially exfiltrate sensitive information. Organizations running affected CiviCRM versions face significant risks including data breaches, unauthorized modifications to customer records, financial transaction manipulation, and potential system compromise that could lead to broader network infiltration. The vulnerability's unauthenticated nature means that attackers do not require any prior access credentials, making it particularly dangerous for systems with exposed administrative interfaces or APIs. This weakness can be exploited as part of larger attack chains leading to persistent access and data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching to versions 2.2.5 and later which address the broken access control implementation through proper authentication verification and authorization checks. Organizations must also implement network segmentation to restrict access to administrative interfaces, deploy web application firewalls to monitor for suspicious access patterns, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additional controls include enforcing strong access controls at the network level, implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative functions, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. The remediation process should also involve comprehensive testing of access control mechanisms and validation that all administrative functions properly verify user permissions before execution.