django-cms: Uncontrolled Recursion
CVE-2026-54623 is a high-severity uncontrolled recursion vulnerability in django-cms, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected django-cms versions: < 5.0.8. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.49% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of django-cms you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Django-cms | django-cms | < 5.0.8 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
django CMS is an easy-to-use and developer-friendly enterprise content management system powered by Django. Prior to 5.0.8, the move_plugin endpoint in cms/admin/placeholderadmin.py accepts an attacker-controlled plugin_parent value without rejecting a plugin’s own identifier or a descendant identifier. A staff user with plugin-change permission under CMS_PERMISSION can create a parent_id cycle in the plugin tree. The _get_descendants_cte and _get_ancestors_cte queries in cms/models/pluginmodel.py have no cycle guard, so get_descendants() and later rendering, copy, or delete operations can recurse indefinitely or reach a database recursion limit, corrupting the tree and consuming request workers. This issue is fixed in versions 5.0.8.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Recursion
The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Ensure that an end condition will be reached under all logic conditions. The end condition may include checking against the depth of recursion and exiting with an error if the recursion goes too deep. The complexity of the end condition contributes to the effectiveness of this action.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Uncontrolled Recursion vulnerabilities
- 8.2 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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