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Threats / dotCMS / CVE-2022-26352
CVE-2022-26352 · EUVD no mirror located · GCVE no mirror located Verified 2026-06-22

dotCMS vulnerability

dotCMS ContentResource API allows unrestricted file uploads with directory traversal, enabling attackers to write files outside intended directories and achieve remote code execution.

Verdict

Today item, not a backlog item.

An unauthenticated or low-privileged attacker can exploit unsafe file upload handling in the ContentResource API to traverse directories and place executable code on the server, leading to complete system compromise.

CISA KEV Yes · 2022-08-253Ransomware use Flagged3EPSS 0.91501 (verify live)4
01

Is it exploitable?

— the evidence, ranked above the score
Reported exploitation
641 independent public reports of in-the-wild exploitation are cataloged.Distinct reporting sources (vendor, incident response, government); open them for the underlying claims.
Exploited in the wild
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-08-25), flagged for known ransomware use.
CISA KEV ↗Confirmed
Probability (EPSS)
EPSS 0.91501 — modeled likelihood of exploitation activity.EPSS is a daily-changing model output — open the source for today's value.
Severity / affected
Affected: dotCMS, dotCMS. Confirm exact fixed builds in the vendor advisory.
NVD ↗Reported
Weakness (CWE)
Mapped to CWE-22 Path Traversal, CWE-138 CWE-138 — weakness family: Path traversal / file.CWE assignment from the public NVD record; the weakness class drives how the flaw is exploited.
NVD ↗Reported
WeaknessCWE-22 · Path TraversalCWE-138 · CWE-138Path traversal / file
02

Who’s exploiting it?

— attribution turns risk into urgency
Attribution not established

No confirmed (advisory-backed) threat-actor attribution is established for this record. Absence of a named actor is not absence of compromise — see Coverage & confidence.

03

Why it matters

— the attack path, told twice: adversary, then board
1

Front door — unauthenticated access narrative 1

Attacker
I upload a file with a dangerous type to the ContentResource API without proper validation.
Business
The organization's web server is exposed to unauthorized file write operations.
2

Keys to the kingdom — privilege/identity takeover narrative 2

Attacker
I use directory traversal sequences in the upload path to place my file outside the intended storage location.
Business
Attackers bypass intended access controls and storage isolation mechanisms.
3

Lateral reach — past segmentation narrative 3

Attacker
I write executable code to a web-accessible directory where it will be interpreted by the server.
Business
The organization experiences remote code execution and full infrastructure compromise.
4

Data at risk — exfiltration narrative 4

Attacker
I establish persistence and lateral movement within the compromised environment.
Business
Attackers deploy ransomware, exfiltrate data, or establish long-term access to critical systems.
04

What to do

— defensible action
  • Remediate per the vendor advisory — confirm the fixed build for your version and verify exposure.1
Say it to the boardA vulnerability with this evidence profile is a defensible budget line, not a backlog ticket — fund the change against the proof above.
05

Coverage & confidence

— what we know, and what we don’t

Established (cited)

  • KEV listing (CISA)
  • Ransomware-use flag (CISA)
  • EPSS probability (FIRST)
  • 641 reported-exploitation source(s)
  • CWE weakness mapping (NVD)
  • Catalogued by mitre (CNA)
  • Coverage gaps — stated, not hidden

  • No EUVD / GCVE mirror in feed — single-authority dependency for the identifier.
  • EPSS & exposure are time-varying; verify live at the source.
  • Threat-actor attribution not established from feed data — absence of a name is not absence of compromise.
  • No finder/reporter credit recorded in the public CVE entry — the work behind this find is unattributed.
  • Disclosure & credit2
    Catalogued by mitreCNA
    Credited with finding itNo finder named in the public CVE record — the work behind this find is unattributed.