CVE-2026-48907 — Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor Improper Access Control Vulnerability
A vulnerability in the JCE editor extension for Joomla allows the creation of new editor profiles for unauthenticated users, ultimately resulting in PHP code upload and execution.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- Public exploit/PoC (nuclei, metasploit, exploitdb, github)+20
- EPSS 16.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (critical)+10
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
CISA required action CISA
Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.
US federal deadline: Jun 19, 2026 — passed 118 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Joomlacontenteditor.net Joomla Content Editor (JCE) extension for Joomla, Widgetfactorylimited Jce).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- EPSS ahead of 97% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (access control), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joomlacontenteditor.net | Joomla Content Editor (JCE) extension for Joomla | version 1.0.0-2.9.99.4 | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| Widgetfactorylimited | Jce | < 2.9.99.5 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | CVSS 4.0 | Critical | — | — | security@joomla.org via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 10.0 | CVSS 4.0 | Critical | — | — | Joomla via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates
Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.
- Joomla Content Editor Unauthenticated File Upload RCE excellent Jun 5, 2026
- Joomla 2.9.99.4 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution Aug 10, 2026
- Joomla JCE_2.9.15 - Remote Code Execution Aug 17, 2026
- cve-2026-48907 scanner ★ 64 Jun 27, 2026
- PoC for CVE-2026-48907 - Joomla! JCE extension < 2.9.99.5 unauthenticated RCE ★ 16 Jun 11, 2026
- CVE-2026-48907 ★ 3 Jun 12, 2026
- CVE-2025-48907 - Unauthenticated RCE exploit for Joomla JCE < 2.9.99.5 ★ 3 Jun 22, 2026
- Defensive lab validation and SOC detection guidance for CVE-2026-48907 in Joomla JCE <= 2.9.99.4, including Apache/Joomla/auditd telemetry, webshell artifacts, Sigma rules, MITRE ATT&CK mapping and mitigation recommendations. ★ 1 Jun 18, 2026
- sec0x/CVE-2026-48907 ★ 1 Jun 22, 2026
- POC for CVE-2026-48907 ★ 1 Jun 30, 2026
- Python & template nuclei ★ 1 Jul 4, 2026
- Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in the JCE (Joomla Content Editor) extension for Joomla ★ 1 Jul 19, 2026
- NONAME-ELV/CVE-2026-48907 ★ 1 Sep 15, 2026
Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 12, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 16.19%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Audit administrative actions and access to resources outside each user’s normal pattern.
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Jun 16, 2026 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · joomlacontenteditor.net/joomla content editor (jce) extension for joomla
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Affected products added · widgetfactorylimited/jce
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
6 on the record
Elsewhere on this site
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2026-48907 is "Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor Improper Access Control Vulnerability", rated Critical. It affects Joomla Content Editor (JCE) extension for Joomla (Joomlacontenteditor.net); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 16.19% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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