grav Server-side Template Injection (SSTI) mitigation bypass
Summary
The fix for SSTI using |map, |filter and |reduce twigs implemented in the commit 71bbed1 introduces bypass of the denylist due to incorrect return value from isDangerousFunction(), which allows to execute the payload prepending double backslash (\\)
Details
The isDangerousFunction() check in version 1.7.42 and onwards retuns false value instead of true when the \ symbol is found in the $name.
...
if (strpos($name, "\\") !== false) {
return false;
}
if (in_array($name, $commandExecutionFunctions)) {
return true;
}
...
Based on the code where the function is used, it is expected that any dangerous condition would return true
/**
* @param Environment $env
* @param array $array
* @param callable|string $arrow
* @return array|CallbackFilterIterator
* @throws RuntimeError
*/
function mapFunc(Environment $env, $array, $arrow)
{
if (!$arrow instanceof \Closure && !is_string($arrow) || Utils::isDangerousFunction($arrow)) {
throw new RuntimeError('Twig |map("' . $arrow . '") is not allowed.');
}
when |map('\system') is used in the malicious payload, the single backslash is dropped prior to reaching strpos($name, '\\') check, thus $name variable already has no backslash, and the command is blacklisted because it reaches the if (in_array($name, $commandExecutionFunctions)) { validation step.
However if |map('\\system') is used (i.e. double backslash), then the strpos($name, "\\") !== false takes effect, and isDangerousFunction() returns false , in which case the RuntimeError is not generated, and blacklist is bypassed leading to code execution.
Exploit Conditions
This vulnerability can be exploited if the attacker has access to:
- an Administrator account, or
- a non-administrator, user account that has Admin panel access and Create/Update page permissions
Steps to reproduce
- Log in to Grav Admin using an administrator account.
- Navigate to
Accounts > Add, and ensure that the following permissions are assigned when creating a new low-privileged user:- Login to Admin - Allowed
- Page Update - Allowed
- Log out of Grav Admin
- Login using the account created in step 2.
- Choose
Pages -> Home - Click the
Advancedtab and select the checkbox besideTwigto ensure that Twig processing is enabled for the modified webpage. - Under the
Contenttab, insert the following payload within the editor:{{ ['id'] | map('\\system') | join() }} - Click the
Previewbutton. Observe that the output of the id shell command is returned in the preview.
Mitigation
diff --git a/system/src/Grav/Common/Utils.php b/system/src/Grav/Common/Utils.php
index 2f121bbe3..7b267cd0f 100644
--- a/system/src/Grav/Common/Utils.php
+++ b/system/src/Grav/Common/Utils.php
@@ -2069,7 +2069,7 @@ abstract class Utils
}
if (strpos($name, "\\") !== false) {
- return false;
+ return true;
}
if (in_array($name, $commandExecutionFunctions)) {
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | getgrav/grav | < 1.7.42.2 | 1.7.42.2 |
References
- https://github.com/getgrav/grav/security/advisories/GHSA-9436-3gmp-4f53
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-37897
- https://github.com/getgrav/grav/commit/71bbed12f950de8335006d7f91112263d8504f1b
- https://github.com/getgrav/grav/commit/b4c62101a43051fc7f5349c7d0a5b6085375c1d7
- https://github.com/getgrav/grav
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-393, CWE-74- Platform
- Composer
- Package
getgrav/grav- Disclosed
- 19.07.2023
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-9436-3gmp-4f53 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: getgrav/grav
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 99
- First → latest
- 11.2019 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 6
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 7
- High 47
- Medium 41
- Low 4
Disclosures per year
- 2019: 1
- 2020: 1
- 2021: 4
- 2022: 10
- 2023: 5
- 2024: 8
- 2025: 23
- 2026: 47
-
grav Server-side Template Injection (SSTI) mitigation bypass this entry
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