CVE-2026-25497: Craft has a GraphQL Asset Mutation Privilege Escalation
Craft is a platform for creating digital experiences. In Craft versions from 4.0.0-RC1 to before 4.17.0-beta.1 and 5.9.0-beta.1, there is a Privilege Escalation vulnerability in Craft CMS’s GraphQL API that allows an authenticated user with write access to one asset volume to escalate their privileges and modify/transfer assets belonging to any other volume, including restricted or private volumes to which they should not have access. The saveAsset GraphQL mutation validates authorization against the schema-resolved volume but fetches the target asset by ID without verifying that the asset belongs to the authorized volume. This allows unauthorized cross-volume asset modification and transfer. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.17.0-beta.1 and 5.9.0-beta.1.
Other sources
There is a Privilege Escalation vulnerability in Craft CMS’s GraphQL API that allows an authenticated user with write access to one asset volume to escalate their privileges and modify/transfer assets belonging to any other volume, including restricted or private volumes to which they should not have access.
Summary:
Type: Privilege Escalation (CWE-269) Affected: Craft CMS 5.x (likely affects 4.x and 3.x as well) Location: src/gql/resolvers/mutations/Asset.php lines 57-107
Root Cause:
The saveAsset GraphQL mutation validates authorization against the schema-resolved volume but fetches the target asset by ID without verifying that the asset belongs to the authorized volume. This allows unauthorized cross-volume asset modification and transfer.
Impact:
- Transfer confidential assets from private volumes to public volumes (data exfiltration) - Modify asset metadata in restricted volumes - Bypass multi-tenant isolation in shared hosting environments
— GitHub
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-25497?
CVE-2026-25497 has a high severity level due to its potential for privilege escalation in Craft CMS.
Who is affected by CVE-2026-25497?
CVE-2026-25497 affects authenticated users of Craft versions from 4.0.0-RC1 to before 4.17.0-beta.1 and 5.9.0-beta.1.
How do I fix CVE-2026-25497?
To fix CVE-2026-25497, upgrade Craft CMS to the latest version that is not vulnerable, specifically 4.17.0-beta.1 or later.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-25497?
CVE-2026-25497 is classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability within the GraphQL API of Craft CMS.
Can CVE-2026-25497 be exploited by unauthenticated users?
No, CVE-2026-25497 requires an authenticated user to exploit the vulnerability.