ExploitPublished 11 Aug 2025

Ghost CMS 5.59.1 · Arbitrary File Read

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Severity

Medium

Rated by Threat Radar

Data as of 8 Nov 2025, 02:50 UTC

What to do

AI-suggested

European organizations should immediately audit their Ghost CMS installations to identify affected versions. Until an official patch is released, implement strict file system permissions to limit the CMS process’s access to sensitive files. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious file path traversal attempts or unusual file read requests. Monitor web server and application logs for anomalous access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Disable or restrict access to unnecessary CMS features or endpoints that could be leveraged for file reading. Consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to detect and prevent exploitation in real time. Regularly update Ghost CMS to the latest secure version once patches are available. Conduct internal penetration testing focused on file read vulnerabilities to identify and remediate similar issues proactively. Educate development and operations teams about secure coding and configuration practices to prevent recurrence.

Description

Ghost CMS 5.59.1 - Arbitrary File Read

Impact

For European organizations, the arbitrary file read vulnerability in Ghost CMS 5.59.1 can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including configuration files, credentials, and private data. This compromises confidentiality and can facilitate subsequent attacks such as privilege escalation, data theft, or ransomware deployment. Media companies, digital publishers, and businesses using Ghost CMS for content management are particularly at risk. Exposure of database credentials or private keys could lead to broader network compromise. The vulnerability could disrupt service availability if attackers leverage the information to execute further attacks. Given the widespread use of Ghost CMS in Europe’s digital publishing sector, the impact could be significant, especially for organizations lacking robust network segmentation or monitoring. The reputational damage and regulatory consequences under GDPR for data breaches add to the potential impact. Although no active exploitation is currently known, the presence of exploit code increases the likelihood of future attacks targeting European entities.

Indicators of compromise

Exploit source code

Exploit code for Ghost CMS 5.59.1 - Arbitrary File Read11,016 characters

#!/usr/bin/env python3
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""
# Exploit Title: Ghost CMS 5.59.1 - Arbitrary File Read
# Date: 2023-09-20
# Exploit Author: ibrahimsql (https://github.com/ibrahmsql)
# Vendor Homepage: https://ghost.org
# Software Link: https://github.com/TryGhost/Ghost
# Version: < 5.59.1
# Tested on: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, Windows 10, macOS Big Sur
# CVE: CVE-2023-40028
# Category: Web Application Security
# CVSS Score: 6.5 (Medium)
# Description:
# Ghost CMS versions prior to 5.59.1 contain a v…

References

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