CVE-2023-28837: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption (CWE-400)
value: Wagtail is an open source content management system built on Django. Prior to versions 4.1.4 and 4.2.2, a memory exhaustion bug exists in Wagtail's handling of uploaded images and documents. For both images and documents, files are loaded into memory during upload for additional processing. A user with access to upload images or documents through the Wagtail admin interface could upload a file so large that it results in a crash of denial of service.

The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. It can only be exploited by admin users with permission to upload images or documents.

Image uploads are restricted to 10MB by default, however this validation only happens on the frontend and on the backend after the vulnerable code. 

Patched versions have been released as Wagtail 4.1.4 and Wagtail 4.2.2). Site owners who are unable to upgrade to the new versions are encouraged to add extra protections outside of Wagtail to limit the size of uploaded files.
CWE description: The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource, thereby enabling an actor to influence the amount of resources consumed, eventually leading to the exhaustion of available resources.
CVSS v3 base score: 4.9
Published: 2023-04-03T17:15Z
Repository: https://github.com/wagtail/wagtail
Language: Markdown
Files changed: CHANGELOG.txt, docs/releases/4.2.2.md
Commit date: 2023-04-03 12:41:18 +0200
Commit message: Release note for CVE-2023-28837 in 4.2.2

Diff: diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index 7a198c533cd..52adc24ff59 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -104,10 +104,11 @@ Changelog
 
 4.2.2 (xx.xx.xxxx) - IN DEVELOPMENT
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
  * Fix: CVE-2023-28836 - Stored XSS attack via ModelAdmin views (Thibaud Colas)
+ * Fix: CVE-2023-28837 - Denial-of-service via memory exhaustion when uploading large files (Jake Howard)
  * Fix: Fix radio and checkbox elements shrinking when using a long label (Sage Abdullah)
  * Fix: Fix select elements expanding beyond their container when using a long option label (Sage Abdullah)
  * Fix: Fix timezone handling of `TemplateResponse`s for users with a custom timezone (Stefan Hammer, Sage Abdullah)
  * Fix: Ensure TableBlock initialisation correctly runs after load and its width is aligned with the parent panel (Dan Braghis)
  * Fix: Ensure that the JavaScript media files are loaded by default in Snippet index listings for date fields (Sage Abdullah)
diff --git a/docs/releases/4.2.2.md b/docs/releases/4.2.2.md
index f9d70ed6006..858b7c0bf2d 100644
--- a/docs/releases/4.2.2.md
+++ b/docs/releases/4.2.2.md
@@ -15,10 +15,20 @@ depth: 1
 
 This release addresses a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability on ModelAdmin views within the Wagtail admin interface. A user with a limited-permission editor account for the Wagtail admin could potentially craft pages and documents that, when viewed by a user with higher privileges, could perform actions with that user's credentials. The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin, and only affects sites with ModelAdmin enabled.
 
 Many thanks to Thibaud Colas for reporting this issue. For further details, please see [the CVE-2023-28836 security advisory](https://github.com/wagtail/wagtail/security/advisories/GHSA-5286-f2rf-35c2).
 
+
+### CVE-2023-28837: Denial-of-service via memory exhaustion when uploading large files
+
+This release addresses a memory exhaustion bug in Wagtail's handling of uploaded images and documents. For both images and documents, files are loaded into memory during upload for additional processing. A user with access to upload images or documents through the Wagtail admin interface could upload a file so large that it results in a crash or denial of service.
+
+The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. It can only be exploited by admin users with permission to upload images or documents.
+
+Many thanks to Jake Howard for reporting this issue. For further details, please see [the CVE-2023-28837 security advisory](https://github.com/wagtail/wagtail/security/advisories/GHSA-33pv-vcgh-jfg9).
+
+
 ### Bug fixes
 
 * Fix radio and checkbox elements shrinking when using a long label (Sage Abdullah)
 * Fix select elements expanding beyond their container when using a long option label (Sage Abdullah)
 * Fix timezone handling of `TemplateResponse`s for users with a custom timezone (Stefan Hammer, Sage Abdullah)

Fixed code:  * Fix: CVE-2023-28837 - Denial-of-service via memory exhaustion when uploading large files (Jake Howard)

### CVE-2023-28837: Denial-of-service via memory exhaustion when uploading large files

This release addresses a memory exhaustion bug in Wagtail's handling of uploaded images and documents. For both images and documents, files are loaded into memory during upload for additional processing. A user with access to upload images or documents through the Wagtail admin interface could upload a file so large that it results in a crash or denial of service.

The vulnerability is not exploitable by an ordinary site visitor without access to the Wagtail admin. It can only be exploited by admin users with permission to upload images or documents.

Many thanks to Jake Howard for reporting this issue. For further details, please see [the CVE-2023-28837 security advisory](https://github.com/wagtail/wagtail/security/advisories/GHSA-33pv-vcgh-jfg9).