CVE-2025-11165
Received Received - Intake
Sandbox Escape in dotCMS Velocity Engine Enables Remote Code Execution

Publication date: 2026-02-24

Last updated on: 2026-03-03

Assigner: dotCMS LLC

Description
A sandbox escape vulnerability exists in dotCMS’s Velocity scripting engine (VTools) that allows authenticated users with scripting privileges to bypass class and package restrictions enforced by SecureUberspectorImpl. By dynamically modifying the Velocity engine’s runtime configuration and reinitializing its Uberspect, a malicious actor can remove the introspector.restrict.classes and introspector.restrict.packages protections. Once these restrictions are cleared, the attacker can access arbitrary Java classes, including java.lang.Runtime, and execute arbitrary system commands under the privileges of the application process (e.g. dotCMS or Tomcat user).
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Meta Information
Published
2026-02-24
Last Modified
2026-03-03
Generated
2026-05-07
AI Q&A
2026-02-24
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-05
NVD
EUVD
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
dotcms dotcms to 24.12.27 (exc)
dotcms dotcms From 25.01.07 (inc) to 25.07.10 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-89 The product constructs all or part of an SQL command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended SQL command when it is sent to a downstream component. Without sufficient removal or quoting of SQL syntax in user-controllable inputs, the generated SQL query can cause those inputs to be interpreted as SQL instead of ordinary user data.
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?

This vulnerability is a sandbox escape issue in dotCMS's Velocity scripting engine (VTools). It allows authenticated users who have scripting privileges to bypass the class and package restrictions that are normally enforced by SecureUberspectorImpl.

An attacker can dynamically modify the Velocity engine's runtime configuration and reinitialize its Uberspect, which removes protections that restrict access to certain classes and packages.

Once these restrictions are removed, the attacker can access arbitrary Java classes, including sensitive ones like java.lang.Runtime, enabling them to execute arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the application process.


How can this vulnerability impact me? :

This vulnerability can have severe impacts because it allows an attacker to execute arbitrary system commands on the server running dotCMS or Tomcat with the same privileges as the application process.

Such unauthorized command execution can lead to full system compromise, data theft, data manipulation, service disruption, or further attacks within the network.


How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:

I don't know


How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?

I don't know


What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?

I don't know


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