CVE-2025-68456Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated database backups via anonymous updater action

Published Jan 5, 2026 · Updated Jan 5, 2026

Improper access control in Craft CMS 3.0.0 through 4.16.16 and 5.0.0-RC1 through 5.8.20 allows remote attackers to start database backups. BaseUpdaterController grants anonymous access to every updater action, so a POST to UpdaterController::actionBackup invokes the configured backup command without authentication. No account is required; repeated requests exhaust database or storage resources, while retrievable backup output exposes database contents.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Craft CMS 3.0.0 through 4.16.16 and 5.0.0-RC1 through 5.8.20 allows remote attackers to start database backups. BaseUpdaterController grants anonymous access to every updater action, so a POST to UpdaterController::actionBackup invokes the configured backup command without authentication. No account is required; repeated requests exhaust database or storage resources, while retrievable backup output exposes database contents.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-68456
Published
Jan 5, 2026
Updated
Jan 5, 2026
Vendor
Pixel & Tonic
Product
Craft CMS
Classifications
CWE-770, CWE-202, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 5, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 3.0.0, < 4.16.17
  2. Affected versionversion=>= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.8.21

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Pixel & Tonic · Craft CMSversion=>= 3.0.0, < 4.16.17; version=>= 5.0.0-RC1, < 5.8.21

Published CVSS scores

7.0GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
9.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
CWE-202Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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