CVE-2026-92225 in Joomla! Extension
Summary
by MITRE • 09/29/2026
Joomla! Core - [20260912] - Core - XSS in module list in Joomla 4.0.0-5.4.8, 6.0.0-6.1.3 - The module list layout did not properly escape user supplied values, leading to an XSS vector.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-20260912 represents a significant security flaw within the core architecture of Joomla administrative interface, administrators manage site modules through a dedicated list view that displays metadata such as titles, positions, and statuses. When this data is fetched from the database and passed to the template engine for display, the framework failed to apply necessary escaping mechanisms to specific fields derived directly from user input or potentially manipulated database entries.
From a technical perspective, the flaw stems from an improper neutralization of special characters within HTML context. The application retrieves module information, including titles or custom parameters set by administrators, and injects them into the DOM structure of the admin panel interface. Because these values are not properly encoded using functions such as htmlspecialchars with appropriate flags like ENT_QUOTES and UTF-8 encoding, any malicious script embedded in these fields is executed by the victim's browser when they view the module list. This constitutes a stored XSS vulnerability if the malicious payload persists in the database after being saved during an earlier administrative action, or it may manifest as reflected XSS depending on how the input flows through the request lifecycle. The lack of output encoding allows attackers to inject JavaScript code that runs with the privileges of the logged-in administrator session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its location within the backend administration interface. Since access to the module list requires administrative credentials, an attacker must first compromise or obtain valid admin login details through phishing, credential stuffing, or other initial access vectors. Once authenticated, the ability to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the Joomla without timely patching or mitigation strategies.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which describes cases where user input is not validated or encoded before inclusion in web pages. Additionally, from the perspective of the MITRE ATT&CK framework for enterprise security, this flaw facilitates techniques associated with Collection and Credential Access, particularly under T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter via browser-based execution. The persistence aspect if stored XSS applies also relates to Persistence mechanisms where malicious scripts can maintain access even after session timeouts or page reloads. Security researchers emphasize that such flaws in content management systems are critical because they often serve as the primary entry point for larger attacks against enterprise infrastructure hosting Joomla! instances.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching by upgrading to a version of Joomla environments are also recommended to prevent similar vulnerabilities arising from third-party extensions that may not adhere to core escaping standards.