CVE-2021-43835
Privilege escalation in the Sulu Admin panel
Sulu is an open-source PHP content management system based on the Symfony framework. In affected versions Sulu users who have access to any subset of the admin UI are able to elevate their privilege. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction. The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0. For users unable to upgrade the only known workaround is to apply a patch to the ProfileController manually.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- High
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Privilege escalation in the Sulu Admin panel
Sulu is an open-source PHP content management system based on the Symfony framework. In affected versions Sulu users who have access to any subset of the admin UI are able to elevate their privilege. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction. The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0. For users unable to upgrade the only known workaround is to apply a patch to the ProfileController manually.
- Record
CVE-2021-43835- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2021-2479
Sulu is an open-source PHP content management system based on the Symfony framework. In affected versions Sulu users who have access to any subset of the admin UI are able to elevate their privilege. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction. The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0. For users unable to upgrade the only known workaround is to apply a patch to the ProfileController manually.
- Record
EUVD-2021-2479- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-84px-q68r-2fc9
Privilege escalation in the Sulu Admin panel
Impact
Impacted are only users which already have access to the admin UI. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction.
Patches
The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0.
Workarounds
Patching the ProfileController of affected sulu versions yourself by overwriting it.
References
Are there any links users can visit to find out more?
Currently not.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in sulu/sulu repo
- Email us at [email protected]
- Record
GHSA-84px-q68r-2fc9- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Sulu is an open-source PHP content management system based on the Symfony framework. In affected versions Sulu users who have access to any subset of the admin UI are able to elevate their privilege. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction. The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0. For users unable to upgrade the only known workaround is to apply a patch to the ProfileController manually.
- Record
CVE-2021-43835- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.5 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Sulu is an open-source PHP content management system based on the Symfony framework. In affected versions Sulu users who have access to any subset of the admin UI are able to elevate their privilege. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction. The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0. For users unable to upgrade the only known workaround is to apply a patch to the ProfileController manually.
- Record
CVE-2021-43835- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-84px-q68r-2fc9
Privilege escalation in the Sulu Admin panel
Impact
Impacted are only users which already have access to the admin UI. Over the API it was possible for them to give themselves permissions to areas which they did not already had. This issue was introduced in 2.0.0-RC1 with the new ProfileController putAction.
Patches
The versions have been patched in 2.2.18, 2.3.8 and 2.4.0.
Workarounds
Patching the ProfileController of affected sulu versions yourself by overwriting it.
References
Are there any links users can visit to find out more?
Currently not.
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in sulu/sulu repo
- Email us at [email protected]
- Record
GHSA-84px-q68r-2fc9- CVSS 3.1
- 7.2 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.0.0 to 2.2.17 | 2.2.18 |
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.3.0 to 2.3.7 | 2.3.8 |
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.4.0-RC1 to 2.4.0-RC1 | 2.4.0 |
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.0.0 up to 2.2.18, plus listed versions 2.0.12.0.102.0.112.0.122.0.2 Show 43 moreShow less2.0.32.0.42.0.52.0.62.0.72.0.82.0.92.1.02.1.0-RC12.1.0-RC22.1.12.1.102.1.112.1.122.1.132.1.142.1.22.1.32.1.42.1.52.1.62.1.72.1.82.1.92.2.02.2.0-RC12.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.122.2.132.2.142.2.152.2.162.2.172.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.9 |
2.2.18 |
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.3.0 up to 2.3.8, plus listed versions 2.3.12.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.7 |
2.3.8 |
sulu/suluPackagist |
2.4.0-RC1 up to 2.4.0 | 2.4.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2021-43835 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.2) in Sulu, published December 15, 2021. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.17%, the 67th percentile. Fixed in sulu/sulu 2.2.18.