CVE-2026-71294

Cotonti CMS Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions

Published Aug 5, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.7 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Cotonti CMS's Comments plugin deserializes user-supplied data without restricting the classes that may be instantiated. In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/CreateAction.php, a POST parameter obtained via (trim-only sanitization) is passed to with no restriction, reachable by any member with write access to comments (the default setting in plugins/comments/comments.setup.php).

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

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History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Cotonti CMS's Comments plugin deserializes user-supplied data without restricting the classes that may be instantiated. In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/CreateAction.php, a `ci` POST parameter obtained via `cot_import('ci', 'P', 'TXT')` (trim-only sanitization) is passed to `unserialize(base64_decode($ci))` with no `allowed_classes` restriction, reachable by any member with write access to comments (the default `Auth_members => 'RW'` setting in plugins/comments/comments.setup.php). In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/EditAction.php, a `cb` parameter is similarly deserialized via `unserialize(base64_decode($this->comeback))` in prepareComeBack(), reachable by any member editing their own comment. Because unserialize() is called without allowed_classes, an attacker can construct a serialized PHP object of any class loaded by Cotonti (a PHP Object Injection primitive). This was demonstrated in practice using Cotonti's own MySQL_cache class: a crafted serialized MySQL_cache object, once deserialized and later garbage-collected, triggers its __destruct()->flush() chain, causing an attacker-controlled INSERT INTO cot_cache with attacker-chosen row values — confirming genuine POP-chain exploitation, with further impact (including potential RCE) contingent on other gadget chains available in a given Cotonti installation's loaded classes. A third sink in DeleteAction.php contains the identical unserialize() pattern but is gated behind an admin-only authorization check and is not reachable by ordinary members. Cotonti CMS's Comments plugin deserializes user-supplied data without restricting the classes that may be instantiated. In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/CreateAction.php, a POST parameter obtained via (trim-only sanitization) is passed to with no restriction, reachable by any member with write access to comments (the default setting in plugins/comments/comments.setup.php).
Title Cotonti CMS - Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions Cotonti CMS Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Cotonti CMS Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions Cotonti CMS - Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Cotonti
Cotonti cotonti
Vendors & Products Cotonti
Cotonti cotonti
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Cotonti CMS's Comments plugin deserializes user-supplied data without restricting the classes that may be instantiated. In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/CreateAction.php, a `ci` POST parameter obtained via `cot_import('ci', 'P', 'TXT')` (trim-only sanitization) is passed to `unserialize(base64_decode($ci))` with no `allowed_classes` restriction, reachable by any member with write access to comments (the default `Auth_members => 'RW'` setting in plugins/comments/comments.setup.php). In plugins/comments/controllers/actions/EditAction.php, a `cb` parameter is similarly deserialized via `unserialize(base64_decode($this->comeback))` in prepareComeBack(), reachable by any member editing their own comment. Because unserialize() is called without allowed_classes, an attacker can construct a serialized PHP object of any class loaded by Cotonti (a PHP Object Injection primitive). This was demonstrated in practice using Cotonti's own MySQL_cache class: a crafted serialized MySQL_cache object, once deserialized and later garbage-collected, triggers its __destruct()->flush() chain, causing an attacker-controlled INSERT INTO cot_cache with attacker-chosen row values — confirming genuine POP-chain exploitation, with further impact (including potential RCE) contingent on other gadget chains available in a given Cotonti installation's loaded classes. A third sink in DeleteAction.php contains the identical unserialize() pattern but is gated behind an admin-only authorization check and is not reachable by ordinary members.
Title Cotonti CMS Comments Plugin PHP Object Injection via Unrestricted unserialize() in Create/Edit Actions
Weaknesses CWE-502
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.7, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
TuranSec
Published
Updated
Aug 10, 2026, 11:47 AM
Reserved
Aug 5, 2026, 12:37 PM
Status
Deferred
Published
Aug 5, 2026, 1:24 PM
Modified
Aug 26, 2026, 5:13 PM