GHSA-vgxm-h9gx-h9w7
django CMS: Structure endpoint bypasses page-view permission
Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| PyPI | django-cms | < 5.0.8 | 5.0.8 |
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
### Summary
The structure-board endpoint (`render_object_structure`) renders a page's plugin structure without verifying that the requesting user is allowed to view the page. The edit and preview endpoints enforce this via `render_page()`, but the structure endpoint does not, allowing a low-privileged staff user to read the plugin structure of a view-restricted page.
### Details
`render_object_structure` (in `cms/views.py`) loads the `PageContent` object and renders `cms/toolbar/structure.html` directly. Unlike `render_object_endpoint` (used by edit/preview), which renders through `render_pagecontent` → `render_page` and calls `user_can_view_page(request.user, page)` (returning 404 when the user may not view the page), the structure endpoint performs no page-level authorization.
The rendered structure board includes each plugin's `get_short_description()` (e.g. link names/URLs, text snippets), so the content of a restricted page is disclosed, not just its shape.
### Impact
A staff user (any account with `is_staff=True`) who lacks view permission on a view-restricted page can retrieve that page's plugin structure and short descriptions by requesting the structure endpoint with the page's content-type id and object id.
This only applies when `CMS_PERMISSION=True` and the page has view restrictions (or `CMS_PUBLIC_FOR='staff'`). Sites without per-page view restrictions are not affected.
### Patches
Fixed in 5.0.8: the structure endpoint now enforces `user_can_view_page()` for `PageContent` objects, matching edit/preview.
### Workarounds
None other than restricting staff access. Upgrade is recommended.
### Credits
Reported by the security team at the University of Sydney ([@reporter]).
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.
- https://github.com/django-cms/django-cms/security/advisories/GHSA-vgxm-h9gx-h9w7
- https://github.com/django-cms/django-cms/pull/8645
- https://github.com/django-cms/django-cms/commit/7642a98ab3170793c0b27b4125dd1f3d318b8a1c
- https://github.com/django-cms/django-cms
- https://github.com/django-cms/django-cms/releases/tag/5.0.8