ThinkCMF: Incorrect authorization in admin REST API
Summary
ThinkCMF through 8.0.1 contains an incorrect authorization flaw in its admin REST API. The permission check fails open when no admin_api rule exists, so restricted backend administrators can call admin endpoints beyond their rights. An attacker with a valid admin-type API token can read member emails and mobile numbers, disable members, and call the role authorization endpoint to grant themselves full administrator rights.
Affected
- ThinkCMF up to and including 8.0.1
- Affected component: RestAdminBaseController and Auth::check() (cmf-core, cmf-api references)
- Exact upper boundary unclear: references point to cmf-core v8.0.3 and cmf-api v8.0.7
Fixed in
Unknown. No fixed version has been confirmed by the vendor.
Workaround
- No vendor-published workaround found.
- Restrict access to the admin backend and its API to management IP ranges or VPN.
Exploitation
- Public technical write-up exists; one aggregator reports no public PoC, which is unverified.
- CISA SSVC lists exploitation as PoC and automatable as no.
- Not listed in CISA KEV. Known exploitation in the wild: nothing confirmed.
Our recommendation
- Check whether ThinkCMF 8.0.1 or earlier is in use, including admin API exposure.
- Inventory all admin-type API tokens and revoke those not needed.
- Review admin role grants and check logs for calls to the role authorization endpoint and bulk member data reads.
- Treat admin accounts on affected instances as potentially over-privileged until a fixed version is available.
- Ask the vendor for a fixed release and apply it as soon as it is published.
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE-2026-111352 advisory by VulnCheck www.vulncheck.com
- cmf-core RestAdminBaseController (v8.0.3) github.com
- cmf-core Auth.php (v8.0.3) github.com
- cmf-api RoleController.php (v8.0.7) github.com
- Third-party technical write-up (hackmd) hackmd.io
- VulDB CVE-2026-111352 vuldb.com
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 1 Nov 2026, 02:24.
Original description (NVD)
ThinkCMF through 8.0.1 contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability in RestAdminBaseController that allows restricted backend administrators to call every admin REST API endpoint because Auth::check() fails open when no admin_api rule exists. Attackers with a valid admin-type API token can list member emails and mobile numbers, disable members, and call PUT admin/roles/{id}/authorize to grant themselves full administrator rights.
NVD references (6)
- https://github.com/thinkcmf/cmf-api/blob/v8.0.7/src/admin/controller/RoleController.php#L345-L381
- https://github.com/thinkcmf/cmf-core/blob/v8.0.3/src/controller/RestAdminBaseController.php#L15-L34
- https://github.com/thinkcmf/cmf-core/blob/v8.0.3/src/lib/Auth.php#L40-L61
- https://hackmd.io/@hieuPenguinnn/thinkcmf-admin-rest-api-missing-authorization
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/thinkcmf-through-8.0.1-incorrect-authorization-in-admin-rest-api
- https://hackmd.io/@hieuPenguinnn/thinkcmf-admin-rest-api-missing-authorization
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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