# CVE-2021-29487: Authentication bypass in Octobercms

> Attackers can bypass authentication and take over user accounts if they possess the Laravel secret key, requiring a patch to October CMS.

- **Severity:** High 7.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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:** 26 Aug 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h76r-vgf3-j6w5

## What is CVE-2021-29487?

CVE-2021-29487 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Octobercms October, published on 26 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

octobercms in a CMS platform based on the Laravel PHP Framework. In affected versions of the october/system package an attacker can exploit this vulnerability to bypass authentication and takeover of and user account on an October CMS server. The vulnerability is exploitable by unauthenticated users via a specially crafted request. This only affects frontend users and the attacker must obtain a Laravel secret key for cookie encryption and signing in order to exploit this vulnerability. The issue has been patched in Build 472 and v1.1.5.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-29487?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including october/system. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `october/system` | Packagist | All versions | 1.0.472 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | All versions | 1.0.472 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 1.1.1 | 1.1.5 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 1.1.1 | 1.1.5 |

Products: Octobercms October.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-29487?

Upgrade october/system to a fixed version for your release line: 1.0.472 or 1.1.5.

## Is CVE-2021-29487 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-29487 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Octobercms October

- [CVE-2021-32648](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32648/): October CMS Improper Authentication (high 8.2, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-3311](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3311/): October CMS Session ID not invalidated after logout (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000194](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000194/): October CMS File Upload Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000196](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000196/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-1000197](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-1000197/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-29487 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-29487 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Octobercms October, published on 26 Aug 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-29487 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- october/system (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 1.0.472
- october/system (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 1.0.472
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 1.1.1; fixed in 1.1.5
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 1.1.1; fixed in 1.1.5

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-2021-29487/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29487/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-29487
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-29487
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-29487

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29487/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.