Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A backend user who can edit Winter CMS templates may escape the intended security sandbox. Successful abuse could expose or alter database information, run unauthorized database operations, and ultimately execute code on the server, threatening confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Executive priority
Treat this as an urgent remediation for affected systems. Prioritize externally reachable or business-critical installations and those with multiple template editors. Restrict privileged access immediately if upgrading cannot occur promptly, then investigate for suspicious template, database, or backend-account activity.
Technical view
Before version 1.2.13, System\Twig\SecurityPolicy incompletely restricts method forwarding through Eloquent models and query builders. An authenticated backend user with template-editing permission can bypass Twig sandbox controls, access or change arbitrary database records, execute arbitrary SQL, and inject PHP into template code sections for remote code execution.
Likely exposure
Internet-reachable Winter CMS installations earlier than 1.2.13 are the primary concern, particularly where backend accounts have template-editing permissions. Exploitation requires an authenticated, highly privileged backend user, so compromised, shared, or unnecessarily privileged accounts materially increase exposure.
Exploitation context
The supplied sources do not establish active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV in the bundle. Exploitation is nevertheless high impact because a suitably privileged backend user can cross the template sandbox boundary and potentially take control of the application and its data.
Researcher notes
The weakness is categorized as CWE-693, Protection Mechanism Failure, and is described as an incomplete sandbox fix. The bundle is internally inconsistent: its structured affected list includes 1.2.13 while the title and description say versions before 1.2.13. Confirm exact applicability with the vendor advisory.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade Winter CMS to version 1.2.13 or later, following the vendor advisory and normal change controls.
- Until upgraded, remove template-editing permission from accounts that do not strictly require it.
- Review backend accounts, strengthen authentication, and invalidate credentials where compromise is suspected.
- For custom forks, incorporate the vendor patch and assess local Twig policy modifications.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Winter CMS installations and confirm each installed version is 1.2.13 or newer.
- Identify every backend account with template-editing permission and verify that access is necessary.
- Review template changes, database anomalies, and application logs for suspicious privileged activity.
- Confirm custom forks contain the vendor patch and test that sandbox restrictions remain enforced.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-693: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupDatabase behavior lookup
The CVE wording references database injection or access, so collection and exfiltration review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2026-79774 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.3 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
2 official scoresWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H——VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H1.76VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
9.3CriticalVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.4HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-8cfw-pcwh-v63w)CVE reference, VulnCheck · vendor-advisory
- Patch CommitCVE reference, VulnCheck · patch
- VulnCheck Advisory: Winter CMS before 1.2.13 Twig Sandbox Escape via SecurityPolicyCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Protection Mechanism Failure
Protection Mechanism Failure represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.