CVE-2026-6553: TYPO3 CMS Stores Cleartext Password in User Settings Module
Problem The backend user settings module (SetupModuleController) incorrectly conflates entity data (like passwords or email address) with user-interface settings (like theme, display options) when persisting changes. As a result, passwords were stored in cleartext in the uc and usersettings fields of the beusers database table.
The cleartext data was only persisted if users changed their credentials in the backend user settings module when the TYPO3 14.2.0 release was used (not in any other version).
Solution Update to TYPO3 version 14.3.0 LTS which fixes the problem described.
> [!IMPORTANT] > Manual actions required > > Updating to the patched release does not retroactively clean existing data. It is recommended to execute all User Settings upgrade wizards in the TYPO3 Install Tool, including the dedicated User Settings Scrubbing wizard, which sanitizes the incorrectly persisted cleartext values from the uc and usersettings fields of the beusers table. Additionally, affected backend user accounts should be assigned new passwords. > > Admin Tools → Upgrade → Upgrade Wizard → User Settings Scrubbing
Credits TYPO3 thanks Martin Clewing for reporting this issue, and TYPO3 core team members Oliver Hader, Stefan Bürk and Garvin Hicking for fixing it.
Other sources
Changing backend users' passwords via the user settings module results in storing the cleartext password in the uc and usersettings fields of the beusers database table. This issue affects TYPO3 CMS version 14.2.0.
— NVD
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
composer/typo3/cms-backendto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 14.3.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
TYPO3 CMSto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 14.3.0 LTS - Operational
Run TYPO3 Install Tool admin wizard: Admin Tools → Upgrade → Upgrade Wizard → User Settings Scrubbing to sanitize incorrectly persisted cleartext values in the `be_users` table fields `uc` and `user_settings`.
- Operational
Additionally, assign affected backend user accounts new passwords (since patched release does not retroactively clean existing data).
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-6553?
CVE-2026-6553 is considered a high severity vulnerability due to the exposure of cleartext passwords.
How does CVE-2026-6553 affect TYPO3 CMS?
CVE-2026-6553 affects TYPO3 CMS version 14.2.0 by storing cleartext passwords in the database.
How do I fix CVE-2026-6553?
To fix CVE-2026-6553, upgrade to a subsequent version of TYPO3 CMS that does not store passwords in cleartext.
What is the impact of CVE-2026-6553 on users?
The impact of CVE-2026-6553 is that it compromises user credentials, potentially allowing unauthorized access.
Are all TYPO3 CMS versions vulnerable to CVE-2026-6553?
No, only TYPO3 CMS version 14.2.0 is vulnerable to CVE-2026-6553.