Magento

Major Magento Vulnerabilities

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Rohit Vakhariya
3 min read
Major Magento Vulnerabilities

Major Magento Vulnerabilities (Complete Category List)

1. Remote Code Execution (RCE)

Severity: Critical

Allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server.

Common causes:

  • Unpatched Magento core vulnerabilities
  • Unsafe PHP deserialization
  • Insecure admin controllers

Impact:

  • Full server takeover
  • Malware injection
  • Data exfiltration

2. SQL Injection (SQLi)

Severity: Critical

Attackers manipulate database queries through unsanitized inputs.

Common entry points:

  • Search fields
  • Filters
  • Custom extensions
  • API endpoints

Impact:

  • Database dump
  • Admin credential theft
  • Order and customer data compromise

3. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Severity: High

Malicious scripts injected into pages viewed by users or admins.

Types:

  • Stored XSS
  • Reflected XSS
  • DOM-based XSS

Impact:

  • Session hijacking
  • Admin account compromise
  • Phishing attacks

4. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

Severity: High

Forces authenticated users to perform unwanted actions.

Affected areas:

  • Admin actions
  • Customer account actions
  • Cart and checkout operations

Impact:

  • Unauthorized configuration changes
  • Order manipulation

5. Authentication & Authorization Bypass

Severity: Critical

Allows attackers to gain admin access without valid credentials.

Causes:

  • Weak ACL enforcement
  • Token validation flaws
  • Old admin authentication logic

Impact:

  • Full admin panel access
  • Store configuration takeover

6. Insecure PHP Object Deserialization

Severity: Critical

Occurs when untrusted serialized data is processed.

Common in:

  • Old Magento versions
  • Vulnerable third-party extensions

Impact:

  • Remote code execution
  • Privilege escalation

7. File Upload Vulnerabilities

Severity: High

Allows attackers to upload malicious files.

Common issues:

  • Missing file type validation
  • Improper media directory permissions

Impact:

  • Web shell upload
  • Malware execution

8. Directory Traversal

Severity: Medium to High

Attackers access restricted files using path manipulation.

Impact:

  • Access to configuration files
  • Exposure of database credentials

9. XML External Entity (XXE) Attacks

Severity: High

Occurs when XML input is improperly parsed.

Affected components:

  • SOAP APIs
  • Import/export features

Impact:

  • Server-side request forgery (SSRF)
  • File disclosure

10. API Security Vulnerabilities

Severity: High

Issues in REST and SOAP APIs.

Examples:

  • Missing authentication
  • Excessive data exposure
  • Broken access control

Impact:

  • Unauthorized data access
  • Order and customer manipulation

11. Insecure Default Configuration

Severity: High

Examples:

  • Default admin URL
  • Weak file permissions
  • Exposed setup scripts

Impact:

  • Easier brute-force attacks
  • Faster exploitation

12. Weak Admin Password & Brute Force Attacks

Severity: Medium to High

Common causes:

  • Weak passwords
  • No 2FA
  • No rate limiting

Impact:

  • Admin account takeover

13. Session Fixation & Session Hijacking

Severity: High

Attackers steal or reuse session IDs.

Impact:

  • Customer or admin impersonation
  • Unauthorized transactions

14. Information Disclosure

Severity: Medium

Examples:

  • Stack traces exposed
  • Debug mode enabled
  • Error messages revealing paths

Impact:

  • Helps attackers plan further attacks

15. Third-Party Extension Vulnerabilities

Severity: Varies (often Critical)

Root cause of many Magento breaches.

Issues include:

  • Hardcoded credentials
  • Backdoors
  • Unsafe database queries

Impact:

  • Full site compromise even on updated Magento core

16. Outdated JavaScript Libraries

Severity: Medium

Examples:

  • Old jQuery versions
  • Vulnerable RequireJS modules

Impact:

  • XSS
  • Client-side attacks

17. Cron Job Abuse

Severity: Medium

Improperly secured cron endpoints.

Impact:

  • Resource exhaustion
  • Unauthorized task execution

18. Denial of Service (DoS)

Severity: Medium

Caused by:

  • Heavy search queries
  • Malformed API requests
  • Reindex abuse

Impact:

  • Store downtime
  • Performance degradation

19. Payment & Checkout Vulnerabilities

Severity: Critical

Examples:

  • Payment method manipulation
  • Price tampering
  • Coupon abuse

Impact:

  • Financial losses
  • Fraud

20. End-of-Life (EOL) Risks

Severity: Critical

Running unsupported Magento versions means:

  • No security patches
  • Publicly known exploits remain open

Impact:

  • Guaranteed compromise over time

Why Magento Upgrades Are Critical

Most of the vulnerabilities listed above are:

  • Already patched in newer Magento versions
  • Actively exploited on outdated stores

Upgrading Magento:

  • Closes known CVEs
  • Improves core security architecture
  • Ensures compatibility with secure PHP versions
  • Reduces dependency-related risks


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Written by Rohit Vakhariya

Passionate about sharing knowledge and insights on web development, technology, and best practices.

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