Winter CMS: Reflected XSS through the search query parameter in the backend Table widget

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. From 1.0.420 until 1.2.14, the backend Table widget partial modules/backend/widgets/table/partials/_table.php emits the search query parameter without HTML encoding inside a script template. A script-closing sequence in a crafted top-level GET URL terminates the raw-text template and causes the remaining input to be parsed as backend markup, even when the widget uses searching: false. Any Table or DataTable page is a sink, including the core Editor Settings route /backend/system/settings/update/winter/backend/editor, and an unauthenticated attacker can induce an authorized backend user to follow the link. Script executing in the victim's backend origin can read the CSRF token and issue credentialed requests with that user's permissions. For the core sink, a victim with backend.manage_editor, normally a Developer-role user or superuser, can edit CMS templates, so the injected script can conditionally chain to server-side code execution; this does not grant permissions the victim lacks and does not apply automatically to every third-party plugin sink. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter CMS: My Account preview exposes another backend user's profile by record ID

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. From 1.2.13 until 1.2.14, the Backend\Controllers\MyAccount controller inherits the FormController actions create, update, and preview while declaring an empty $requiredPermissions array, and formFindModelObject() resolves a caller-supplied record identifier through an unscoped Backend\Models\User query. Any authenticated backend user can request another sequential user identifier through /backend/backend/myaccount/preview/{other_user_id} or the inherited update action and read profile data including name, login, email, avatar, role, group membership, superuser status, and throttle state. Password material is not exposed, and existing model authorization guards block cross-user writes. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter CMS: ImportExportController AJAX handlers bypass granular import/export permission gate

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. Prior to 1.2.14, the ImportExportController behavior applies userHasAccess() only to the import() and export() page actions, while Backend\Classes\Controller::execAjaxHandlers() dispatches onImport(), onImportLoadForm(), onImportLoadColumnSampleForm(), onExport(), and onExportLoadForm() before those gated actions run, and the separately reachable download() action also lacks the granular export check. An authenticated backend user with a valid session and coarse access through $requiredPermissions, but without the configured import[permissions] or export[permissions], can use the import handlers to write or overwrite records and can use onExport() followed by download() to retrieve the complete dataset exposed by the export model. Controllers without granular permission keys are unaffected because userHasAccess() is intentionally default-permissive. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter CMS: Stored XSS through cached Brand Settings and Editor Settings custom styles

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. Prior to 1.2.14, BrandSetting::renderCss() and EditorSetting::renderCss() store raw LESS compiler output with Cache::forever() but apply strip_tags() only to the value returned on a cache miss. The first render after saving custom CSS appears sanitized while priming an unsafe cache entry, and later cache hits return unsanitized output into the backend style element, allowing a user with backend.manage_branding or backend.manage_editor to cause stored cross-site scripting when another backend page renders the styles. The styles also appear on unauthenticated backend sign-in, password restore, and password reset layouts. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter CMS: CSRF through AJAX handler names reachable as backend page actions

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. From 1.0.319 until 1.2.14, Backend\Classes\Controller::actionExists() accepts public handler-shaped methods as page actions, so a top-level GET request can invoke state-changing backend AJAX handlers without a CSRF token. Because backend routes use Route::any, CSRF validation skips GET, and the default SameSite=Lax session cookie is sent on cross-site navigation, an unauthenticated attacker can induce an authorized backend user to follow a link such as /backend/system/eventlogs/index_onEmptyLog. Affected handlers in the backend, CMS, and system modules can truncate logs, reset settings, alter backend user state, or delete CMS templates, while URL path segments can select a target record. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter CMS: Stored XSS through Backend List widget image columns

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. From 1.1.0 until 1.2.14, Backend\Widgets\Lists::evalImageTypeValue() interpolates the result of ImageResizer::filterGetUrl() into a single-quoted image source attribute without escaping it. In a third-party plugin that renders an attacker-influenced value through an image list column, an unsupported image value is returned verbatim, can break out of the attribute, and can inject event handlers that execute when a backend user views the list. Winter core ships no image list column, so a default installation is unaffected. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.14.

Winter: Broken access control in `Cms\Controllers\Index` allows cross-template actions and unauthorized asset uploads

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. In versions up to and including 1.2.12, the CMS section's Theme Editor AJAX handlers did not enforce per-template-type permission checks, allowing a backend user with any single CMS permission to act on template types outside their authorized scope. The CMS controller gated access to the section as a whole using OR-logic across its five permissions, but individual handlers such as onSave(), onDelete(), and onDeleteTemplates() did not verify that the user held the specific permission for the requested template type, so a user with only cms.manage_pages could craft AJAX requests to delete layouts, modify partials, or read content files. Separately, the AssetList widget was registered for any user who passed the controller gate regardless of the cms.manage_assets permission, and its onUpload() handler omitted the theme-validation call present on the other mutating handlers, permitting unauthorized file uploads into the active theme's asset directory. Exploitation requires an authenticated backend account holding at least one of the CMS Theme Editor permissions. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter CMS before 1.2.13 Local File Inclusion via JavaScript

Winter CMS before 1.2.13 contains a local file inclusion vulnerability in the JavascriptImporter filter that allows authenticated users with cms.manage_assets permission to disclose arbitrary server-readable files by placing =include or =require directives in theme JavaScript assets. Attackers can reference files like .env outside the theme directory, and the combined output served through the combine route becomes readable by unauthenticated visitors, exposing application keys and database credentials.

Winter: Stored XSS through Brand Settings custom styles

Winter is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) based on the Laravel PHP framework. Prior to 1.2.13, custom CSS supplied through the Brand Settings Styles field by a backend user with the backend.manage_branding permission is compiled by the LESS parser and rendered without sanitization on every backend page, allowing stored cross-site scripting against backend users. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter: Authenticated IDOR in backend FileUpload widget allows cross-user access to attachment metadata

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. In versions up to and including 1.2.12, the backend FileUpload form widget trusted an attacker-controlled file_id POST parameter when resolving the attachment it operates on, allowing an authenticated backend user to read and modify attachment records belonging to other users or records. The widget's getFileRecord() lookup resolved the posted id against the global system_files table without verifying that the file belonged to the widget's own relation, parent record, or deferred-binding session. Because all attachments share a single File model and table and attachment ids are sequential integers that are easily enumerated, a user reaching any form with a fileupload field, including the built-in My Account avatar field that requires no specific permission, could target arbitrary attachments to modify their title and description via onSaveAttachmentConfig and change their sort order via onSortAttachments, which passed posted ids straight to an unscoped update. CSRF tokens remain enforced, so exploitation requires a valid authenticated backend session with any level of access. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter: Authenticated backend users can bypass Users controller permission checks

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. In versions prior to 1.2.13, the backend did not validate the handler name submitted through the form postback _handler POST field, allowing an authenticated backend user to invoke arbitrary controller methods, including protected, private, and action-prefixed ones. While AJAX requests validate that handler names match the on[A-Z][\w+]* pattern, the postback path passed the submitted _handler value straight to the handler dispatcher with no such check, so any controller that exposes a public action or conditionally relaxes its $requiredPermissions check could be reached, bypassing the roles and permissions system. The built-in Users controller was affected because it set $requiredPermissions to null for the myaccount action, letting any authenticated backend user invoke user-management methods such as update_onDelete and update_onManualPasswordReset without holding the backend.manage_users permission. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter: Local File Inclusion through @import directives in LESS compilation of backend customizable stylesheets and theme assets

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. In versions up to and including 1.2.12, authenticated backend users can disclose arbitrary files readable by the PHP process by injecting @import (inline) directives into LESS source that the backend compiles, because the LESS parser was instantiated without a safe import resolver and fell back to the raw attacker-supplied path when no allowed root matched. The flaw is reachable through four entry points that share the same root cause: the Brand Settings custom_css field, the Editor Settings html_custom_styles field, the Mail Brand Settings colour-picker fields whose values are concatenated into LESS source without escaping, and theme .less, .sass, and .scss assets compiled when served. Both absolute paths and .. traversal outside the asset's own tree were accepted, so an attacker could read any file the web process can access, most significantly the application .env file and the APP_KEY and database credentials it contains. Exploitation requires a backend account holding one of the associated permissions, which are assigned by default to the built-in Developer role. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter: Stored XSS through Editor Settings custom styles

Winter is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) based on the Laravel PHP framework. From 1.2.10 through 1.2.12, authenticated backend users with the backend.manage_editor permission can store custom Markup Styles that are compiled by the LESS parser and rendered without sanitization on every backend page, allowing stored cross-site scripting. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter: SQL Injection in Backend Filter Widget numberrange Scope via numbersFromAjax

Winter CMS is a content management system built on the Laravel PHP framework. In versions up to and including 1.2.12, the backend Filter widget is vulnerable to SQL injection through the numberrange scope type when that scope is configured with a conditions key, allowing an authenticated backend user to inject arbitrary SQL. The scope's filter values are interpolated into the conditions statement without parameter binding, so a user with access to a list view whose filter uses this scope and configuration can supply crafted input through the filter's AJAX handler and read arbitrary database contents. No built-in Winter CMS backend views use this scope type and configuration combination, so exploitation requires a third-party plugin to have registered a numberrange filter scope with a conditions key, and a vanilla installation without such plugins is not affected. This issue is fixed in version 1.2.13.

Winter CMS before 1.2.13 Twig Sandbox Escape via SecurityPolicy

Winter CMS versions before 1.2.13 contain an incomplete fix for a Twig sandbox escape vulnerability in System\\Twig\\SecurityPolicy that allows authenticated backend users with template-editing permissions to bypass sandbox restrictions. Attackers can exploit method forwarding through Eloquent models and query builders using methods like saveQuietly(), deleteQuietly(), increment(), decrement(), and newQuery() to read and modify arbitrary database records, execute arbitrary SQL, and achieve remote code execution by injecting PHP into template code sections.

Winter vulnerable to Prototype Pollution in Snowboard framework

Winter is a free, open-source content management system based on the Laravel PHP framework. The Snowboard framework in versions 1.1.8, 1.1.9, and 1.2.0 is vulnerable to prototype pollution in the main Snowboard class as well as its plugin loader. The 1.0 branch of Winter is not affected, as it does not contain the Snowboard framework. This issue has been patched in v1.1.10 and v1.2.1. As a workaround, one may avoid this issue by following some common security practices for JavaScript, including implementing a content security policy and auditing scripts.

Winter Affected by Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in Asset Manager

Winter is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) based on the Laravel PHP framework. Versions of Winter CMS before 1.2.10 allow users with access to the CMS Asset Manager were able to upload SVGs without automatic sanitization. To actively exploit this security issue, an attacker would need access to the Backend with a user account with the following permission: cms.manage_assets. The Winter CMS maintainers strongly recommend that the cms.manage_assets permission only be reserved to trusted administrators and developers in general. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.2.10.

Winter: Privilege escalation by authenticated backend users

Winter is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) based on the Laravel PHP framework. Prior to 1.0.477, 1.1.12, and 1.2.12, Winter CMS allowed authenticated backend users to escalate their accounts level of access to the system by modifying the roles / permissions assigned to their account through specially crafted requests to the backend while logged in. To actively exploit this security issue, an attacker would need access to the Backend with a user account with any level of access. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.0.477, 1.1.12, and 1.2.12.

Winter CMS Modules allows a sandbox bypass in Twig templates leading to data modification and deletion

Winter is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) based on the Laravel PHP framework. Winter CMS prior to versions 1.2.7, 1.1.11, and 1.0.476 allow users with access to the CMS templates sections that modify Twig files to bypass the sandbox placed on Twig files and modify resources such as theme customisation values or modify, or remove, templates in the theme even if not provided direct access via the permissions. As all objects passed through to Twig are references to the live objects, it is also possible to also manipulate model data if models are passed directly to Twig, including changing attributes or even removing records entirely. In most cases, this is unwanted behavior and potentially dangerous. To actively exploit this security issue, an attacker would need access to the Backend with a user account with any of the following permissions: `cms.manage_layouts`; `cms.manage_pages`; or `cms.manage_partials`. The Winter CMS maintainers strongly recommend that these permissions only be reserved to trusted administrators and developers in general. The maintainers of Winter CMS have significantly increased the scope of the sandbox, effectively making all models and datasources read-only in Twig, in versions 1.2.7, 1.1.11, and 1.0.476. Thse who cannot upgrade may apply commit fb88e6fabde3b3278ce1844e581c87dcf7daee22 to their Winter CMS installation manually to resolve the issue. In the rare event that a Winter user was relying on being able to write to models/datasources within their Twig templates, they should instead use or create components to make changes to their models.

Server-side Template Injection (SSTI) vulnerability in Winter CMS v.1.2.3 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via a crafted payload to the CMS Pages field and Plugin components. NOTE: the vendor disputes this because the payload could only be entered by a trusted user, such as the owner of the server that hosts Winter CMS, or a developer working for them.