CVE-2024-56145 - Remote Code Execution in Craft CMS – What You Need to Know

Craft CMS is one of the most popular and flexible Content Management Systems used for creating custom digital experiences on the web. However, a recent critical security flaw—CVE-2024-56145—has put its users at serious risk of a Remote Code Execution (RCE) attack. In this article, we will break down the vulnerability, show you how it can be exploited, and explain the steps you should take to keep your site safe.

What is CVE-2024-56145?

CVE-2024-56145 is a security vulnerability that affects specific versions of Craft CMS. The issue is connected to a PHP configuration setting called register_argc_argv. If this setting is enabled in your php.ini configuration file, attackers can exploit a vector within Craft CMS, leading to the remote execution of arbitrary code.

Technical Explanation

The vulnerability exists because Craft CMS does not properly validate or sanitize certain superglobal variables when register_argc_argv is enabled. This PHP setting causes the arrays $_SERVER['argv'] and $_SERVER['argc'] to be populated even when running in web mode. Under specific conditions, malicious inputs can be injected and processed by Craft CMS, resulting in code execution on the server.

Here’s a simplified look at what happens under the hood

// This is a simplified example for illustration.
// Assume register_argc_argv is enabled.
if (isset($_SERVER['argv'])) {
    foreach ($_SERVER['argv'] as $arg) {
        // Craft does some processing with the arguments.
        process_argument($arg);
    }
}

// If the processing function is vulnerable...
function process_argument($arg) {
    // Unsafely executes input
    eval($arg); // Never do this in real applications!
}

This is a fictionalized snippet (the actual source is more complex and may not use eval directly), but it helps to see how an attacker could send input leading to command execution.

How Can This Be Exploited?

An attacker who can control or inject values into the argument vector ($_SERVER['argv']) could send specially crafted malicious code that gets executed by the server’s PHP process.

Example Exploit Scenario

If an attacker can make a web request that sets argv to ['phpinfo();'], and if Craft CMS processes this via an unsafe function, then the server will execute phpinfo(), potentially leaking system information. More dangerous payloads could result in full server compromise.

Update to 3.9.14, 4.13.2, or 5.5.2 (or any newer release).

- Official Craft CMS downloads: Update Craft CMS

Restart your web server for changes to take effect.

- More on PHP options: PHP Manual: register_argc_argv

References and Further Reading

- Official Craft CMS Security Advisory: Craft CMS Security Advisories
- CVE Record: CVE-2024-56145 on MITRE
- PHP Manual: register_argc_argv

Stay safe! Always keep your software up-to-date and review your PHP configurations.

If you’re running Craft CMS, don’t wait—apply the fix today and protect your digital experience platform from attackers.


*This post is for educational purposes only. Do not attempt to exploit systems without proper authorization.*

Timeline

Published on: 12/18/2024 21:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 06/03/2025 20:48:48 UTC