CVE-2026-93455 in django-page-cms
Summary
by MITRE • 09/18/2026
django-page-cms through 2.0.13 fails to properly validate page permissions in admin helper views, allowing any staff account to read arbitrary page content and stored media paths. Attackers with low-privilege staff credentials can enumerate content identifiers and access unpublished drafts, page listings, and file paths without proper authorization checks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2026
The vulnerability identified in django-page-cms versions through 2.0.13 represents a critical failure in the implementation of Access Control mechanisms within the administrative interface helper views. This flaw stems from an insufficient validation of user permissions when handling requests for page content and associated media resources. In typical Content Management System architectures, administrative functions are segmented by role-based access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can view or modify specific data sets. However, in this instance, the backend logic governing these helper views does not adequately verify whether the authenticated staff account possesses the requisite privileges to access the requested page content. This oversight allows any user with a basic staff credential, regardless of their assigned role or permission level within the CMS hierarchy, to bypass intended restrictions and retrieve sensitive information that should remain inaccessible.
From a technical perspective, the core issue lies in the absence of rigorous authorization checks during the processing of administrative requests for arbitrary page content. When an authenticated user submits a request to view page details, draft versions, or media file paths, the application fails to cross-reference the requesting user's permissions against the security requirements of the specific resource being accessed. Consequently, attackers leveraging low-privilege staff accounts can enumerate internal content identifiers and access unpublished drafts that are typically hidden from public view and standard editors. This lack of enforcement extends to stored media paths as well, enabling unauthorized retrieval of file system locations which may expose further structural details about the underlying server environment or lead to secondary vulnerabilities such as path traversal if combined with other flaws in static file serving configurations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on django-page-cms for their web presence and content management workflows. Unauthorized access to unpublished drafts compromises intellectual property and strategic communications, as sensitive information intended only for internal review or future publication becomes visible to unauthorized individuals. Furthermore, the ability to enumerate page listings and media paths facilitates reconnaissance activities that can aid in more sophisticated attacks against the application infrastructure. Attackers can map out the site structure, identify high-value targets such as administrative panels or database endpoints, and potentially exploit known vulnerabilities associated with specific content types or file formats stored within the system. This erosion of confidentiality undermines trust in the CMS platform and exposes organizations to reputational damage and potential regulatory non-compliance depending on the nature of the exposed data.
To mitigate this vulnerability, immediate action is required by upgrading django-page-cms to version 2.0.14 or later, where these access control checks have been properly implemented and validated. In environments where an upgrade cannot be performed immediately due to compatibility constraints with other dependencies, administrators should consider implementing reverse proxy rules or web application firewall policies that restrict access to the affected administrative helper endpoints based on IP whitelisting or additional authentication layers until a patch can be applied. Additionally, it is advisable to review and tighten staff account permissions within the Django administration interface, ensuring that users are granted only the minimum privileges necessary for their roles in accordance with the principle of least privilege. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on access control mechanisms should also be conducted to detect similar misconfigurations across other components of the web application stack.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control, specifically reflecting failures where authorization checks are not performed or enforced correctly during resource access operations. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it involves an attacker leveraging legitimate but insufficiently privileged credentials to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The exploitation of this flaw allows for the exfiltration of confidential data and facilitates further reconnaissance, highlighting the critical importance of robust identity and access management practices within content management systems. Organizations must prioritize patching this issue to restore the integrity of their administrative interfaces and prevent potential data breaches resulting from unchecked permission escalation or bypass scenarios.