CVE-2026-72778
Received Received - Intake

Authenticated Remote Code Execution in Craft CMS via Control Panel Condition Handling

Publication date: 2026-08-11

Last updated on: 2026-08-11

Assigner: VulnCheck

Description
Craft CMS versions from 4.0.0-RC1 before 4.18.2 and from 5.0.0-RC1 before 5.10.6 contain an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the control panel element-search condition handling. Craft cleanses the outer request-controlled condition array via Component::cleanseConfig(), but Conditions::createCondition() later decodes and merges the JSON string in condition.config without re-running cleanseConfig() on the decoded configuration. Because condition.config is a JSON string during the first cleanse, Yii special config keys such as 'as ...' and 'on ...' can be hidden inside it and, after JSON decoding, are interpreted by Yii as behavior/event configuration during FieldLayout object creation. An attacker with an authenticated control panel session (and a valid CSRF token) can exploit this to execute operating system commands as the PHP/web user.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-08-11
Last Modified
2026-08-11
Generated
2026-08-11
AI Q&A
2026-08-11
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72778
EUVD
EUVD-2026-56102

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 4 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
craftcms craft_cms to 4.18.2 (exc)
craftcms craft_cms to 5.10.6 (exc)
craftcms craft_cms From 4.0.0-rc1 (inc) to 4.18.1 (inc)
craftcms craft_cms From 5.0.0-rc1 (inc) to 5.10.5 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-915 The product receives input from an upstream component that specifies multiple attributes, properties, or fields that are to be initialized or updated in an object, but it does not properly control which attributes can be modified.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

CVE-2026-72778 is an authenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Craft CMS versions 4.0.0-RC1 to 4.18.1 and 5.0.0-RC1 to 5.10.5. It occurs due to improper handling of the condition.config parameter in element-search functionality. Craft CMS sanitizes the outer condition array but fails to re-sanitize the decoded JSON string in condition.config after merging, allowing attackers to inject malicious Yii framework behavior/event configurations like 'as ...' or 'on ...' keys. These are interpreted during FieldLayout object creation, enabling execution of arbitrary OS commands as the PHP/web server user.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with authenticated control panel access and a valid CSRF token could exploit this to execute operating system commands as the PHP/web user. This may lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of content, pivoting to internal services, or denial of service attacks. The impact includes potential data breaches, system compromise, and disruption of services.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access or modification of sensitive data, violating GDPR's data protection principles and HIPAA's security requirements. Non-compliance may result in legal penalties, fines, or reputational damage due to potential data breaches or loss of protected health information.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Craft CMS to version 4.18.2 or later for version 4.x, or to version 5.10.6 or later for version 5.x. This patch addresses the improper handling of the condition.config parameter that leads to RCE.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-72778. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart