Winter CMS Local File Inclusion through Server Side Template Injection

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

3.3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2023-52085: 30.17% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 98.22 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Impact Users with access to backend forms that include a ColorPicker FormWidget can provide a value that would then be included without further processing in the compilation of custom stylesheets via LESS. This had the potential to lead to a Local File Inclusion vulnerability. By default, only the Brand Settings (backend.managebranding) and Mail Brand Settings (system.managemailtemplates) forms both include the colorpicker formwidget and pass the provided value to be compiled in LESS, however it is also common for themes to include it on their Theme Customization (cms.managethemeoptions) form and it is technically possible for the values on that form to also be used in LESS compilation: https://wintercms.com/docs/v1.2/docs/themes/development#asset-compiler-variables. Patches This issue has been patched in v1.2.4. Workarounds Apply https://github.com/wintercms/winter/commit/5bc9257fe2bc47d8b786a1b1bf96bafad23d8ddd manually if unable to upgrade to v1.2.4.

Published by the source

2 Jan 2024, 14:10 UTC

Last modified by the source

2 Jan 2024, 14:10 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 14:14 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-2x7r-93ww-cxrq

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2023-52085

Advisory: Winter CMS Local File Inclusion through Server Side Template Injection
IDs: CVE-2023-52085, GHSA-2x7r-93ww-cxrq
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2023-52085 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 14:14 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Low (CVSS 3.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: winter/wn-backend-module 1.2.4. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Packagist winter/wn-backend-module: affected < 1.2.4; fixed in 1.2.4

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Packagist winter/wn-backend-module: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on winter/wn-backend-module.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-2x7r-93ww-cxrq (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-2x7r-93ww-cxrq lists affected ranges: Packagist winter/wn-backend-module >=0 <1.2.4)

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