baserCMS: Encoded path traversal bypass in the theme file API

Overview

baserCMS is a website development framework. In versions 5.2.3 before 5.3.2 and 5.4.0 before 5.4.2, the optional BcThemeFile plugin's Admin API validates a raw path in ThemeFilesService::update() and getFullpath(), but ThemeFileForm::_execute() subsequently applies rawurldecode() to fullpath before writing. Because normalizePath() resolves only literal dot segments, percent-encoded traversal can pass the containment checks and become a path outside the theme directory at the write sink. An authenticated administrator can write PHP files into writable locations such as webroot and execute them, exceeding the intended theme-template editing boundary. The source also identifies the same check-before-decode ordering in ThemeFilesService::copy(), although that path was not dynamically verified. Exploitation requires the non-default plugin, an administrator session, and a same-origin Origin header; USE_CORE_ADMIN_API=false does not block session-authenticated requests. The Admin web form is not affected by this encoded-path tampering because FormProtection protects fullpath. This is a third bypass of the protections associated with CVE-2026-30940, using encoded traversal decoded after validation. This issue has been patched in versions 5.3.2 and 5.4.2.

Affected

• basercms >= 5.2.3, < 5.3.2
• basercms >= 5.4.0, < 5.4.2

Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.