CVE-2025-55046: MuraCMS CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2025-55046 Overview

CVE-2025-55046 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting MuraCMS through version 10.1.10. The vulnerability exists in the cTrash.empty function, which lacks proper CSRF token validation, allowing attackers to craft malicious web pages that can permanently destroy all deleted content stored in the trash system when visited by an authenticated administrator.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation results in irreversible, catastrophic data loss within MuraCMS. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious page, their browser automatically submits a hidden form that permanently empties the entire trash system without any validation, confirmation dialog, or user consent.

Affected Products

• MuraCMS versions through 10.1.10

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-18 - CVE-2025-55046 published to NVD
• 2026-03-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-55046

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery). The core issue lies in the cTrash.empty function within MuraCMS, which performs a critical destructive operation—permanently deleting all trashed content—without implementing proper anti-CSRF protections.

In a properly secured application, state-changing operations require validation of a unique, unpredictable token that confirms the request originated from a legitimate source. The absence of this token validation in the trash emptying functionality creates a significant security gap that attackers can exploit.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-55046 is the missing CSRF token validation in the cTrash.empty function. MuraCMS fails to verify that requests to empty the trash originate from authenticated sessions with valid anti-forgery tokens. This oversight allows attackers to forge requests that execute with the privileges of an authenticated administrator.

Attack Vector

The attack requires an authenticated MuraCMS administrator to visit a malicious webpage controlled by the attacker. The malicious page contains a hidden form or JavaScript that automatically submits a request to the vulnerable cTrash.empty endpoint. Since the victim's browser automatically includes their session cookies with the request, the MuraCMS server processes the forged request as legitimate, resulting in permanent deletion of all trashed content.

The attack is network-based and requires user interaction (the administrator must visit the malicious page while authenticated). No privileges are required by the attacker themselves, as they simply need to convince an administrator to visit the crafted page through social engineering, phishing emails, or by compromising a legitimate website the administrator might visit.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-55046

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected emptying of the MuraCMS trash system without administrator action
• Audit logs showing trash deletion events correlating with unusual browsing activity
• Multiple administrative actions occurring from unexpected referrer URLs or domains
• User reports of missing content that was previously in the trash awaiting potential restoration

Detection Strategies

• Monitor MuraCMS audit logs for trash emptying operations and correlate with administrator session activity
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect suspicious referrer headers on administrative endpoints
• Review HTTP request logs for cTrash.empty calls originating from external referrers
• Deploy browser-based security extensions that alert on cross-origin form submissions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for all trash management operations in MuraCMS
• Configure alerts for bulk deletion events, particularly those affecting the trash system
• Implement referrer validation at the network level using reverse proxy or WAF configurations
• Regularly audit administrative activity logs for anomalous patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-55046

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade MuraCMS to version 10.14 or later, which addresses this vulnerability
• Educate administrators about the risks of clicking unknown links while authenticated to MuraCMS
• Implement network-level controls to restrict access to administrative functions
• Consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to trash management functionality until patching is complete

Patch Information

Mura Software has addressed this vulnerability in version 10.14. Administrators should consult the Mura Software Version 10.14 Release Notes for detailed upgrade instructions and additional security improvements included in this release. For more information about MuraCMS, visit the Mura Software Official Website.

Workarounds

• Implement SameSite cookie attributes (set to Strict or Lax) to prevent cookies from being sent with cross-origin requests
• Configure a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to validate referrer headers and block requests to administrative endpoints from external domains
• Restrict administrative access to specific IP addresses or require VPN connections for administrative sessions
• Advise administrators to use dedicated browser profiles for CMS administration that are not used for general web browsing

For organizations unable to immediately upgrade, implementing strict referrer validation at the reverse proxy or WAF level provides a temporary mitigation layer:

# Example nginx configuration to restrict administrative endpoints
# Add referrer validation for MuraCMS admin paths
location /admin/ {
    # Only allow requests from same origin
    valid_referers server_names;
    if ($invalid_referer) {
        return 403;
    }
    # Continue with normal proxy configuration
    proxy_pass http://muracms_backend;
}