# CVE-2023-25828: Authenticate Remote Code Execution in Pluck CMS

> Authenticated attackers can upload malicious PHP files via the albums module to execute arbitrary code on the server.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Mar 2023
- **Updated:** 19 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cp9w-xxfq-xfcf

## What is CVE-2023-25828?

CVE-2023-25828 is a high-severity vulnerability in pluck-cms, published on 27 Mar 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Pluck CMS is vulnerable to an authenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability through its “albums” module. Albums are used to create collections of images that can be inserted into web pages across the site. Albums allow the upload of various filetypes, which undergo a normalization process before being available on the site. Due to lack of file extension validation, it is possible to upload a crafted JPEG payload containing an embedded PHP web-shell. An attacker may navigate to it directly to achieve RCE on the underlying web server. Administrator credentials for the Pluck CMS web interface are required to access the albums module feature, and are thus required to exploit this vulnerability. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C (8.2 High)

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-25828?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pluck-Cms Pluck.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-25828?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-25828 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-25828 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-25828 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in pluck-cms

- [CVE-2024-43042](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43042/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-31746](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-31746/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-20951](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-20951/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-11344](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-11344/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-11736](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11736/): File upload in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-25828 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-25828 is a high-severity vulnerability in pluck-cms, published on 27 Mar 2023. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-25828 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: pluck-cms. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

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-2023-25828/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25828/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-25828
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-25828
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-25828

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25828/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.