Detect Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor Improper Access Control (CVE-2026-48907) in Google Chronicle
Detects exploitation of CVE-2026-48907, an improper access control vulnerability (CWE-284) in the Joomla Content Editor (JCE) plugin by Widget Factory. This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild (CISA KEV) and allows attackers to bypass access controls, potentially enabling unauthorized file uploads, remote code execution, or administrative actions within Joomla CMS installations.
MITRE ATT&CK
YARA-L Detection Query
rule cve_2026_48907_jce_access_control_bypass {
meta:
author = "df00tech Detection Engineering"
description = "Detects CVE-2026-48907 exploitation attempts against Widget Factory Joomla Content Editor plugin"
severity = "CRITICAL"
priority = "HIGH"
reference = "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-48907"
cve = "CVE-2026-48907"
events:
$e.metadata.event_type = "NETWORK_HTTP"
$e.network.http.method = /^(POST|PUT)$/
(
(
$e.network.http.request_url = /\/index\.php/ and
$e.network.http.request_url = /option=com_jce/
) or
$e.network.http.request_url = /\/components\/com_jce/ or
$e.network.http.request_url = /\/plugins\/editors\/jce/
)
(
$e.network.http.request_url = /task=plugin/ or
$e.network.http.request_url = /task=upload/ or
$e.network.http.request_url = /task=save/
)
$e.network.http.response_code = /^(200|201|302)$/
$e.principal.ip = $src_ip
match:
$src_ip over 5m
condition:
#e > 3
}Chronicle YARA-L rule detecting repeated exploitation of CVE-2026-48907 in JCE plugin by monitoring HTTP POST/PUT requests to vulnerable endpoints, triggering on more than 3 matching events per source IP in a 5-minute window.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Legitimate editors performing bulk operations through the JCE Joomla plugin interface
- Automated content deployment pipelines interacting with JCE component endpoints
- Security validation tools performing post-patch verification of JCE installations
Other platforms for CVE-2026-48907
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 3 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Unauthenticated JCE Plugin Task Enumeration
Expected signal: HTTP 200 response to unauthenticated POST request targeting com_jce plugin task endpoint; web server access log entry with POST method, 200 status, and option=com_jce in query string
- Test 2JCE File Upload via Access Control Bypass
Expected signal: Multipart POST request to com_jce imgmanager upload endpoint; filesystem write event in Joomla images directory; PHP process creating new file in web-accessible path
- Test 3JCE Administrator Action Impersonation via Access Control Bypass
Expected signal: POST request to JCE task endpoint returning 200 with directory listing or JCE interface content rather than 403/401 response; web server access log confirming successful response to unauthenticated request
References (5)
- https://www.joomlacontenteditor.net/news/jce-security-update-and-a-free-patch-for-older-sites
- https://www.joomlacontenteditor.net/support/changelog/editor
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/directives/bod-26-04-implementation-guidance-prioritizing-security-updates-based-risk
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-48907
Unlock Pro Content
Get the full detection package for CVE-2026-48907 including response playbook, investigation guide, and atomic red team tests.