CVE-2026-48898
Improper Access Check Leads to Privilege Escalation in Joomla
Publication date: 2026-05-26
Last updated on: 2026-05-26
Assigner: Joomla! Project
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| joomla | joomla | From 4.0.0 (inc) to 5.4.5 (inc) |
| joomla | joomla | From 6.0.0 (inc) to 6.1.0 (inc) |
| joomla | joomla | 5.4.6 |
| joomla | joomla | 6.1.1 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-284 | The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-48898 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability in Joomla! CMS versions 4.0.0 through 5.4.5 and 6.0.0 through 6.1.0.
The issue arises from an improper access check in the com_users batch task, which allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges.
This means that users who should not have certain permissions can exploit this flaw to gain higher-level access within the Joomla! system.
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
This vulnerability can allow unauthorized users to escalate their privileges within a Joomla! CMS installation.
As a result, attackers could gain administrative or other elevated access rights, potentially leading to unauthorized changes, data exposure, or control over the affected system.
Such privilege escalation can compromise the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the website and its data.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate the CVE-2026-48898 vulnerability, users should upgrade their Joomla! CMS installations to the patched versions 5.4.6 or 6.1.1.
This vulnerability affects Joomla! versions 4.0.0 through 5.4.5 and 6.0.0 through 6.1.0, and the fix addresses an improper access check in the com_users batch task that allows privilege escalation.
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
The vulnerability allows unauthorized privilege escalation through an improper access check in Joomla!'s com_users batch task. Such unauthorized access and privilege escalation can lead to data breaches or unauthorized data manipulation, which may compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.
This kind of security flaw can negatively impact compliance with common standards and regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, which require strict access controls and protection of personal and sensitive data. Failure to address this vulnerability could result in non-compliance due to potential unauthorized access to protected data.
Therefore, it is critical for organizations using affected Joomla! versions to apply the security patches promptly to maintain compliance with these regulations.