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Medium

Craft CMS: Sensitive File Disclosure / Server-Side File Read

  • Disclosed: 06.07.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

The dataUrl() Twig function is included in Craft’s Twig sandbox allowlist, allowing any control panel user granted the utility:system-messages permission to embed a file-reading payload into system email templates. When those emails are sent, the server reads the target file and returns its contents as a base64-encoded data URL embedded in the email body. The .env file, which typically contains the database password, CRAFT_SECURITY_KEY, and third-party API keys, passes all of Craft’s existing dataUrl() protection checks and is fully exfiltrated. Obtaining CRAFT_SECURITY_KEY enables an attacker to forge session tokens and escalate to full admin account takeover.

Details

Affected versions: Craft CMS 4.x, 5.x (confirmed against 5.9.19)

The vulnerability arises from the combination of three code facts:

  1. dataUrl is in the Twig sandbox allowlist src/config/twig-sandbox.php, line 115: php'allowedFunctions' => [ ... 'dataUrl', // ← allows file reading inside sandboxed templates ... ],

  2. Html::dataUrl() does not block dotfiles src/helpers/Html.php, lines 1065–1090. The function applies four checks before reading a file:

Must be within the project root .env is at the root Must not be in a system directory (config/, vendor/, storage/, templates/) .env is not Must not be a .php file .env has no extension File must exist .env always exists in a Craft install

There is no check for dotfiles or specifically for .env. All four checks pass silently and file_get_contents() is called, with the result returned as data:text/plain;base64,....

  1. System message body is rendered via renderSandboxedString() src/mail/Mailer.php, lines 181–183: php$subject = $view->renderSandboxedString($systemMessage->subject, $variables); $textBody = $view->renderSandboxedString($systemMessage->body, $variables); $htmlBody = $view->renderSandboxedString($systemMessage->body, $variables, escapeHtml: true);

Any body content saved to a system message is executed inside the Twig sandbox when the email renders. Because dataUrl is in allowedFunctions, the sandbox policy permits its execution without restriction.

Access control: The utility:system-messages permission is a non-admin CP permission grantable to any user group via Settings > Users > Groups. It is not restricted to admins.

Impact

Vulnerability type: Sensitive File Disclosure / Server-Side File Read Who is impacted: Any Craft CMS 4.x or 5.x installation where at least one non-admin control panel user has been granted the utility:system-messages permission, and email sending is configured.

Resources:

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Composer package craftcms/cms >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.0, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.0 4.18.0, 5.10.0

References

CVSS score -
CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-200
Platform
Composer
Package
craftcms/cms
Disclosed
06.07.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-287w-mxq6-x2cp - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: craftcms/cms

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (127) in the archive
Total entries
127
First → latest
07.2021 08.2026
Without a fix
6
Exploited in attacks
4

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 9
  • High 41
  • Medium 65
  • Low 12

Disclosures per year

Severity:
  1. Craft CMS: Passkey login accepts replayed WebAuthn assertions
    Critical CVE-2026-72780 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.5 5.10.5
  2. Craft CMS: Arbitrary user password reset leading to administrator account takeover
    High CVE-2026-72786 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.8 5.10.8
  3. Craft CMS: Authenticated RCE through Twig sandbox escape
    High CVE-2026-72781 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.7, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.3 5.10.7, 4.18.3
  4. Craft CMS: Authenticated RCE via `condition.config` JSON cleanse bypass
    High CVE-2026-72778 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.6, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.2 5.10.6, 4.18.2
  5. Craft CMS: RCE via missing cleanseConfig in FieldsController::actionRenderCardPreview
    High CVE-2026-56382 >= 5.5.0, < 5.9.14 5.9.14
  6. Craft CMS: Potential authenticated Remote Code Execution via referrer redirect
    High CVE-2026-55794 >= 5.9.0, < 5.10.0 5.10.0
  7. Craft CMS: Sensitive File Disclosure / Server-Side File Read this entry
    Medium CVE-2026-55792 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18.0, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10.0 4.18.0, 5.10.0
  8. Craft CMS: DOM XSS via GitHub issue title in CraftSupport widget
    High CVE-2026-55790 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.23, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.16 5.9.23, 4.17.16
  9. Craft CMS Vulnerable to Unauthorized Deletion of Destination Folders During Forced Moves
    High CVE-2026-50282 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.21, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.14 5.9.21, 4.17.14
  10. Craft CMS's mass assignment via id in newAttributes during bulk duplicate overwrites existing elements
    High CVE-2026-50281 >= 5.7.0, < 5.9.21 5.9.21
  11. Craft CMS: Missing peer-permission check in `AssetsController::actionDeleteFolder` allows deletion of other users' assets
    High CVE-2026-50284 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.22, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.15 5.9.22, 4.17.15
  12. Craft CMS: Authorship spoofing in `entries/save-entry` via pre-check/post-mutation authorization gap
    High CVE-2026-50279 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.21 5.9.21
  13. Craft CMS: Blind SSRF and Arbitrary JavaScript Injection via Host Header Poisoning in actionResourceJs
    Critical CVE-2026-55791 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.10, >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.18 5.10, 4.18
  14. Craft CMS's Missing Volume Permission Check in AssetsController::actionShowInFolder Allows Information Disclosure
    High CVE-2026-44012 >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.18 5.9.18
  15. Craft CMS has Potential Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Malicious Attached Behavior
    High CVE-2026-44011 >= 4.0.0, < 4.17.12, >= 5.0.0, < 5.9.18 4.17.12, 5.9.18
  16. Craft CMS's Missing Authorization in GraphQL Address Resolver Allows Cross-Scope PII Disclosure
    High CVE-2026-44010 >= 5.0.0, < 5.9.18, >= 4.0.0, < 4.17.12 5.9.18, 4.17.12
  17. Craft CMS is Vulnerable to Authenticated Remote Code Execution via Malicious Attached Behavior
    High CVE-2026-33157 >= 5.6.0, < 5.9.13 5.9.13
  18. Craft CMS Vulnerable to Privilege Escalation/Bypass through UsersController->actionImpersonateWithToken()
    High CVE-2026-32267 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.6, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.12 4.17.6, 5.9.12
  19. Craft CMS vulnerable to behavior injection RCE ElementIndexesController and FieldsController
    High CVE-2026-32264 >= 4.0.0-RC1, < 4.17.5, >= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.9.11 4.17.5, 5.9.11
  20. Craft CMS vulnerable to behavior injection RCE via EntryTypesController
    High CVE-2026-32263 >= 5.6.0, < 5.9.11 5.9.11
Show more (20) Showing 20 of 51

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