CVE-2022-50939
Published: 13 January 2026
Summary
CVE-2022-50939 is a high-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in E107 E107. Its CVSS base score is 8.6 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 39.0% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-7 (Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2022-50939 is a critical file upload vulnerability in e107 CMS version 3.2.1, affecting the Media Manager's remote URL upload functionality in the admin interface's image.php component. The issue stems from improper sanitization of the upload_caption parameter, enabling path traversal attacks via directory traversal sequences such as ../../../. This allows overwriting of arbitrary server files outside the intended upload directory, including configuration files, executable scripts, or other critical system components. Discovered by Hubert Wojciechowski, it is associated with CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) and CWE-434 (Comparison of Classes by Name), with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.2 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
An authenticated administrator can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the upload_caption field during remote URL uploads in the Media Manager. By injecting path traversal payloads, the attacker can override sensitive files on the server, potentially leading to complete compromise of the web application, such as executing arbitrary code, altering configurations, or disrupting services.
Advisories and related resources, including those from the vendor at e107.org and e107.org/download, a VulnCheck advisory on the upload restriction bypass with path traversal file override, and a proof-of-concept exploit at exploit-db.com/exploits/50910, provide details on the issue. Published on 2026-01-13, these references indicate paths for mitigation, such as applying patches from the vendor's download page.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2026-2600
Vulnerability details
e107 CMS version 3.2.1 contains a critical file upload vulnerability that allows authenticated administrators to override arbitrary server files through path traversal. The vulnerability exists in the Media Manager's remote URL upload functionality (image.php) where the upload_caption parameter is not…
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properly sanitized. An attacker with administrative privileges can use directory traversal sequences (../../../) in the upload_caption field to overwrite critical system files outside the intended upload directory. This can lead to complete compromise of the web application by overwriting configuration files, executable scripts, or other critical system components. The vulnerability was discovered by Hubert Wojciechowski and affects the image.php component in the admin interface.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Path traversal in admin file upload directly enables web shell deployment and RCE on public-facing CMS via arbitrary file overwrite.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires validation and sanitization of the upload_caption parameter to block path traversal sequences (../../../) that enable arbitrary file overwrites.
Requires integrity verification mechanisms that would detect or block unauthorized overwrites of configuration files and executables outside the intended Media Manager directory.
Enforces access restrictions on changes to system files, limiting the ability of even authenticated administrators to perform the path-traversal file overrides described in the CVE.