CVE-2026-94065 in ColorFolio Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/09/2026
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in BuddhaThemes ColorFolio colorit allows Object Injection.This issue affects ColorFolio: from n/a through 1.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a critical security flaw within the BuddhaThemes ColorFolio plugin, specifically affecting versions ranging from initial releases up to version 1.3. This issue is classified as an Object Injection resulting from the deserialization of untrusted data. In web application architecture, particularly those built on PHP frameworks common in WordPress ecosystems, serialization and deserialization are mechanisms used to convert complex objects into a storable format or vice versa. When an application accepts serialized data from external sources without proper validation or sanitization, it creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the internal state of the application. In this specific instance, the vulnerability allows an attacker to inject arbitrary PHP objects during the deserialization process, which can lead to severe consequences including remote code execution, privilege escalation, and unauthorized access to sensitive system resources.
From a technical perspective, the flaw stems from the improper handling of input data that is expected to be in a serialized format but originates from untrusted sources such as user inputs, HTTP requests, or file uploads. When the application attempts to deserialize this data using functions like unserialize() without verifying its integrity or source, it may instantiate objects with properties controlled by the attacker. This behavior aligns closely with CWE-502, which describes Deserialization of Untrusted Data. The ability to inject objects means that if specific classes are available in the application's environment and contain magic methods such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString(), an attacker can trigger unintended side effects. These side effects might include executing arbitrary system commands, reading sensitive files like configuration databases, or modifying session data to hijack user accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for Remote Code Execution (RCE). If the vulnerable code path is accessible via a network-facing interface without requiring authentication, it constitutes an Unauthenticated Attack Vector. Even if authentication is required, the ability to inject objects can allow lower-privileged users to escalate their privileges or disrupt service availability by causing fatal errors through malformed object structures. This aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically Command and Scripting Interpreter sub-techniques, as successful exploitation often leads to the execution of system commands on the host server. Furthermore, it relates to CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, as the root cause is the failure to validate that incoming data matches expected formats or origins before processing.
Mitigation strategies must focus on eliminating the direct deserialization of untrusted input and implementing robust validation mechanisms. The most effective immediate mitigation for users of ColorFolio versions prior to 1.3 is to upgrade to a patched version where this vulnerability has been addressed by the developers. For environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible, administrators should implement strict allowlists for any data that undergoes serialization processes. Additionally, enabling PHP's disable_functions directive to restrict access to dangerous functions like unserialize() can provide an additional layer of defense, although care must be taken as legitimate plugin functionality may rely on these functions. Input validation should also be enforced at the application boundary, ensuring that only expected data types and structures are processed. Regular security audits and static code analysis tools configured to detect unsafe deserialization patterns can help identify similar vulnerabilities in custom or third-party plugins before they are exploited in production environments.