# CVE-2023-53868: Coppermine Gallery 1.6.25 Remote Code Execution via Plugin Upload

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

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-89cc-v8rr-9h8w

## What is CVE-2023-53868?

CVE-2023-53868 is a high-severity vulnerability in coppermine-gallery, published on 15 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Coppermine Gallery 1.6.25 contains a remote code execution vulnerability that allows authenticated attackers to upload malicious PHP files through the plugin manager. Attackers can upload a zipped PHP file with system commands to the plugin directory and execute arbitrary code by accessing the uploaded plugin script.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53868?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Coppermine-Gallery Coppermine Photo Gallery.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53868?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-53868 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-53868 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53868 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in coppermine-gallery

- [CVE-2008-3486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3486/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2008-3481](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3481/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2008-0504](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0504/): SQL injection in n/a (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2018-14478](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14478/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)
- [CVE-2014-4612](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-4612/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53868 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53868 is a high-severity vulnerability in coppermine-gallery, published on 15 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53868 exists.

Affected product: coppermine-gallery. 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-2023-53868/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53868/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53868
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53868
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53868

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53868/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.