📄 Description (English)
ImpressCMS 1.4.2 contains a remote code execution vulnerability in the autotasks administrative interface that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by injecting malicious code into the sat_code parameter. Attackers can authenticate, submit a POST request to /modules/system/admin.php?fct=autotasks&op=mod with crafted sat_code containing PHP commands, which creates an executable file that accepts arbitrary commands via GET parameters.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
ImpressCMS 1.4.2 contains a critical remote code execution vulnerability in the autotasks administrative interface that allows authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code through the sat_code parameter. This vulnerability enables attackers with administrative access to create executable files and gain complete system control. The lack of available patches makes immediate mitigation through alternative controls essential for affected organizations.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 13, 2026 13:48
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi government portals, educational institutions, and small-to-medium enterprises using ImpressCMS for content management. Government agencies under NCA oversight and educational institutions under MOEDU are particularly vulnerable. The vulnerability requires authenticated access, limiting exposure but creating insider threat risks. Organizations in the telecom sector (STC, Mobily) and healthcare institutions using ImpressCMS for patient portals face potential data breach and service disruption risks. The lack of patch availability increases the attack window for determined threat actors.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Education
Healthcare
Telecommunications
Small and Medium Enterprises
Non-Profit Organizations
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all ImpressCMS 1.4.2 instances in your environment and document their locations
2. Restrict administrative access to /modules/system/admin.php to authorized personnel only
3. Implement network-level access controls limiting admin interface access to specific IP ranges
4. Enable comprehensive logging for all administrative activities in the autotasks module
5. Review admin user accounts and disable unused administrative credentials
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
1. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block POST requests to /modules/system/admin.php?fct=autotasks&op=mod containing PHP code patterns
2. Deploy file integrity monitoring on the web root directory to detect unauthorized PHP file creation
3. Disable PHP execution in upload directories and temporary directories
4. Implement strict input validation and sanitization for the sat_code parameter
5. Use PHP disable_functions directive to restrict dangerous functions (exec, system, passthru, shell_exec, eval)
PATCHING STRATEGY:
1. Evaluate migration to maintained CMS alternatives (Drupal, WordPress with security hardening)
2. If migration not feasible, apply vendor security patches immediately upon release
3. Implement code review process for any custom modifications to ImpressCMS
DETECTION:
1. Monitor for POST requests to /modules/system/admin.php with fct=autotasks&op=mod parameters
2. Alert on creation of new PHP files in web-accessible directories
3. Monitor for execution of system commands from PHP processes
4. Track failed and successful authentication attempts to admin interfaces
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. حدد جميع نسخ ImpressCMS 1.4.2 في بيئتك وقم بتوثيق مواقعها
2. قيد الوصول الإداري إلى /modules/system/admin.php للموظفين المصرح لهم فقط
3. طبق ضوابط الوصول على مستوى الشبكة لتحديد وصول واجهة الإدارة إلى نطاقات IP محددة
4. فعّل السجلات الشاملة لجميع الأنشطة الإدارية في وحدة autotasks
5. راجع حسابات المستخدمين الإداريين وعطّل بيانات اعتماد الإدارة غير المستخدمة
الضوابط البديلة:
1. طبق قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحجب طلبات POST التي تحتوي على أنماط أكواد PHP
2. نشّر مراقبة سلامة الملفات على دليل جذر الويب للكشف عن إنشاء ملفات PHP غير المصرح بها
3. عطّل تنفيذ PHP في مجلدات التحميل والمجلدات المؤقتة
4. طبق التحقق من صحة الإدخال والتطهير الصارم لمعامل sat_code
5. استخدم توجيه PHP disable_functions لتقييد الوظائف الخطرة
استراتيجية التصحيح:
1. قيّم الهجرة إلى بدائل CMS المدعومة (Drupal, WordPress)
2. إذا لم تكن الهجرة ممكنة، طبق تصحيحات أمان البائع فورًا عند إصدارها
3. طبق عملية مراجعة الأكواد لأي تعديلات مخصصة على ImpressCMS
الكشف:
1. راقب طلبات POST إلى /modules/system/admin.php مع معاملات fct=autotasks&op=mod
2. أصدر تنبيهات عند إنشاء ملفات PHP جديدة في المجلدات التي يمكن الوصول إليها عبر الويب
3. راقب تنفيذ أوامر النظام من عمليات PHP
4. تتبع محاولات المصادقة الفاشلة والناجحة لواجهات الإدارة
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
A.6.1.1 - User access management and authentication
A.6.2.1 - User access rights review
A.7.1.1 - Physical and environmental security
A.8.1.1 - Cryptography and secure communications
A.9.1.1 - Incident management and response
A.10.1.1 - System development and maintenance security
A.12.1.1 - Monitoring and logging
🔵 SAMA CSF
Governance - Security Policy and Risk Management
Identify - Asset Management and Access Control
Protect - Access Control and Authentication
Detect - Monitoring and Logging
Respond - Incident Response and Management
Recover - Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1 - Management direction for information security
A.6.1 - Internal organization
A.6.2 - Mobile device and teleworking
A.7.1 - Prior to public availability
A.8.1 - User endpoint devices
A.8.2 - Privileged access rights
A.8.3 - Information access restriction
A.12.1 - Audit logging
A.12.4 - Recording of activities
A.14.1 - Information security requirements
A.14.2 - Security in development and support processes
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
Requirement 1 - Firewall configuration
Requirement 2 - Default passwords and security parameters
Requirement 6 - Secure development and vulnerability management
Requirement 7 - Restrict access to data by business need
Requirement 8 - User identification and authentication
Requirement 10 - Tracking and monitoring access to network resources
🔗 References & Sources 4
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https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/50298
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.impresscms.org/
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.impresscms.org/modules/downloads/
disclosure@vulncheck.com
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/impresscms-remote-code-execution-via-autotasks
disclosure@vulncheck.com