OpenCATS: Authenticated Remote Code Execution via SettingsUI (manageProfessional)

published 2026-10-28 11 d ago modified 2026-11-03 5 d ago also EUVD-2026-112515

cvss: 7.2; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 0.4%; EPSS 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 38%
public exploits: 0; none known

OpenCATS is an open-source applicant tracking system and recruitment CRM for staffing agencies and hiring teams. Prior to version 0.10.0, the Professional License configuration feature in `SettingsUI` (`manageProfessional`) accepts administrator-controlled license key input that is reconstructed into a PHP `define()` statement in `config.php` without safe escaping. Because the application includes `config.php`, crafted input can alter the file's PHP syntax and cause persistent arbitrary PHP execution with the web server process privileges. An authenticated administrator must have Settings module access and permission to update Professional License configuration, and `config.php` must be writable for this write-based path. Successful exploitation can read, modify or delete application data, expose candidate, contact, company, job order and user account information, alter the installation or configuration, and provide a foothold for further attacks. Unauthenticated exploitation and exploitation without Settings access are not established. This issue is fixed in version 0.10.0.

Patch / fix

links 2

github.com/opencats/OpenCATS@e422abf commit
github.com/opencats/OpenCATS#802 pull request

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: total
Assessed: 5 d ago (2026-11-03)

Exploit prediction

0.44% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 38% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	7.2	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

opencats OpenCATS

Classification

Weakness

CWE-74 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component
CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code

References

Sources

CVE List CVE-2026-54453
NVD CVE-2026-54453

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary