# CVE-2021-26598: Incorrect Access Control in ImpressCMS

> Unauthenticated attackers can access user search functionality in ImpressCMS due to incorrect access control, potentially exposing user data.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-48p3-xfvw-g59c

## What is CVE-2021-26598?

CVE-2021-26598 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ImpressCMS before 1.4.3 has Incorrect Access Control because include/findusers.php allows access by unauthenticated attackers (who are, by design, able to have a security token).

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-26598?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including impresscms/impresscms. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `impresscms/impresscms` | Packagist | All versions | 1.4.3 |
| `impresscms/impresscms` | Packagist | All versions | 1.4.3 |

Products: Impresscms Impresscms.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-26598?

Upgrade impresscms/impresscms to 1.4.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2021-26598 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-26598 exists.

Public exploit code:

- ImpressCMS <1.4.3 - Incorrect Authorization (nuclei): http/cves/2021/CVE-2021-26598.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2008-3453](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3453/): Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in ImpressCMS 1.0 have unknown impact and attack vectors, related to modules/admin.php and "a few files (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-26599](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26599/): SQL Injection in ImpressCMS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-26600](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26600/): Type Confusion in ImpressCMS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-24977](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24977/): Path Traversal in ImpressCMS (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-50912](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-50912/): ImpressCMS 1.4.4 - Unrestricted File Upload (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-26598 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-26598 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Mar 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2021-26598 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- impresscms/impresscms (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 1.4.3
- impresscms/impresscms (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 1.4.3

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26598/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26598/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-26598
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-26598
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-26598

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26598/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.