# CVE-2022-35944: October CMS Safe Mode bypass leads to authenticated RCE (Remote Code Execution)

> Authenticated attackers with editor permissions can bypass Safe Mode to inject PHP code, leading to remote code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Oct 2022
- **Updated:** 23 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x4q7-m6fp-4v9v

## What is CVE-2022-35944?

CVE-2022-35944 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Octobercms October, published on 13 Oct 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

October is a self-hosted Content Management System (CMS) platform based on the Laravel PHP Framework. This vulnerability only affects installations that rely on the safe mode restriction, commonly used when providing public access to the admin panel. Assuming an attacker has access to the admin panel and permission to open the "Editor" section, they can bypass the Safe Mode (`cms.safe_mode`) restriction to introduce new PHP code in a CMS template using a specially crafted request. The issue has been patched in versions 2.2.34 and 3.0.66.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-35944?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 2.0.0 | 2.2.34 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 2.0.0 | 2.2.34 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.66 |
| `october/system` | Packagist | From 3.0.0 | 3.0.66 |

Products: Octobercms October.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-35944?

Upgrade october/system to a fixed version for your release line: 2.2.34 or 3.0.66.

## Is CVE-2022-35944 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-35944 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-2022-35944 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-35944 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Octobercms October, published on 13 Oct 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-35944 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.2.34
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.2.34
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.66
- october/system (Packagist): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 3.0.66

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-2022-35944/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-35944/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-35944
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-35944
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-35944

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-35944/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.