CVE-2026-34571: CI4MS: Stored Cross‑Site Scripting (Stored XSS) in Backend User Management Allows Session Hijacking and Full Administrative Account Compromise

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
• EPSS 0.6%, percentile 46: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 46% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes ci4-cms-erp/ci4ms (Composer (PHP)) <= 0.28.6.0, fixed in 0.31.0.0. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

CI4MS is a CodeIgniter 4-based CMS skeleton that delivers a production-ready, modular architecture with RBAC authorization and theme support. Prior to version 0.31.0.0, a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (Stored XSS) vulnerability exists in the backend user management functionality. The application fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input before rendering it in the administrative interface, allowing attackers to inject persistent JavaScript code. This results in automatic execution whenever backend users access the affected page, enabling session hijacking, privilege escalation, and full administrative account compromise. This issue has been patched in version 0.31.0.0.

From the GitHub advisory

Summary

A critical Stored Cross-Site Scripting (Stored XSS) vulnerability exists in the backend user management functionality. The application fails to properly sanitize user-controlled input before rendering it in the administrative interface, allowing attackers to inject persistent JavaScript code. This results in automatic execution whenever backend users access the affected page, enabling session hijacking, privilege escalation, and full administrative account compromise.

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Details

The vulnerability resides in the backend user creation feature accessible via:

Weakness type: CWE-79.

Product: ci4-cms-erp/ci4ms (Composer (PHP)) · Assigned by: GitHub_M · Published: 2026-04-01

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none
• Scope: changed (can affect other components)

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.56% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 46.

Timeline

• 2026-04-01 — CVE record published by GitHub_M
• 2026-04-01 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-fc4p-p49v-r948 published (critical)
• 2026-04-02 — CVE record last updated

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-fc4p-p49v-r948 github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2026-34571 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2026-34571 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. github.com github.com
2. github.com github.com

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