CVE-2018-14940 : What You Need to Know

PHPCMS 9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by exploiting a specific API endpoint.

Understanding CVE-2018-14940

This CVE involves a vulnerability in PHPCMS 9 that can be exploited by remote attackers to trigger a denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2018-14940?

Remote attackers can exploit PHPCMS 9 by sending a request to api.php?op=checkcode with excessively large font_size, height, and width parameters, causing a denial of service due to excessive resource consumption.

The Impact of CVE-2018-14940

The vulnerability allows attackers to disrupt the normal operation of PHPCMS 9 by consuming excessive resources, leading to a denial of service condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-14940

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE-2018-14940 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

PHPCMS 9 is susceptible to a denial of service attack triggered by sending a request with oversized font_size, height, and width parameters to the api.php?op=checkcode endpoint.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Version: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the vulnerability by manipulating the font_size, height, and width parameters in a specific API request, causing resource exhaustion and a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-14940, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement input validation to restrict parameter sizes.
Monitor system resources for unusual consumption patterns.
Apply security patches or updates provided by the vendor.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing.
Stay informed about security best practices and emerging threats.

Patching and Updates

Keep PHPCMS 9 up to date with the latest security patches and updates to mitigate the vulnerability.