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CVE-2026-16645 – Access Bypass / Unauthorized Image Disclosure – Drupal PhotoSwipe Module (< 3.0.4 /

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Summary

CVE-2026-16645 is a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in the PhotoSwipe module for Drupal, a contributed module that integrates the PhotoSwipe JavaScript lightbox library to display and zoom images in galleries. Affected versions of the module fail to sufficiently enforce access permission checks when an image is viewed through the PhotoSwipe gallery display formatter, allowing an unauthenticated, unauthorized visitor to view images they should not have access to via forceful browsing. The issue carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (Critical).

Technical details

  • Root cause: The module’s PhotoSwipe image gallery display formatter does not sufficiently verify that a requesting user has permission to view the underlying image before rendering/serving it.
  • Trigger conditions: A site must use the PhotoSwipe module’s gallery formatter to display images to which access is otherwise restricted (e.g., private or permission-gated content); sites that only display publicly accessible images are not meaningfully impacted.
  • Attack vector: Network-based, requiring no authentication and no user interaction (CAPEC-87, Forceful Browsing) — an attacker directly requests image resources exposed by the formatter.
  • Impact: Unauthorized disclosure of images that should be access-restricted (confidentiality impact); no impact on integrity or availability.

Affected software

  • PhotoSwipe – Responsive JavaScript Modal Image Gallery (Drupal contributed module)
  • Drupal 8 compatible branch: versions prior to 3.0.4
  • Drupal 9/10 compatible branch: versions prior to 3.2.0 (the 3.1.x branch is deprecated and should not be used)

Severity

  • CVSS v3.1 Base Score: 9.1 (Critical)
  • Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Mitigation and recommended actions

  • Immediate: Update the PhotoSwipe module to version 3.0.4 (Drupal 8) or 3.2.0 or later (Drupal 9/10).
  • If no patch can be applied immediately: Restrict or disable use of the PhotoSwipe gallery display formatter on any content where the underlying images are access-restricted; avoid using PhotoSwipe to display non-public images until patched. Review site access logs for anomalous, unauthenticated image-retrieval requests.

How IONIX identifies potentially affected assets

IONIX matches the following signal against data already collected when it crawled the asset; identifying the technology sends no request beyond that crawl.

  • URL of a loaded script: photoswipe/<version>/photoswipe.min.js

References

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1

Map your entire attack surface (continously)

IONIX uses multi-factor discovery methods, including DNS analysis, certificate mapping, metadata inspection, and more, to automatically map every internet-facing asset across your environment. This includes cloud instances, third-party platforms, shadow IT, and even forgotten infrastructure that traditional tools miss.

2

Monitor for new CVEs

Dozens of threat intel feeds using agentic technology are continuously analyzed to detect the appearance of proof-of-concept code, exploit kits, and indicators of active targeting. IONIX goes further by applying AI to proactively evaluate whether emerging vulnerabilities are likely to be exploited, even before PoCs go public.

3

Identify Potential External Exposures

Not all CVEs matter. IONIX filters vulnerabilities by asking attacker-centric questions: Can it be reached from the internet? Does it require authentication? Is it being exploited in the wild? This dramatically reduces noise and focuses teams on threats that can actually be weaponized.

4

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IONIX transforms real-world PoCs into safe, non-intrusive test payloads that can be run in production environments without disruption. These simulations are precisely targeted to the systems that are vulnerable, ensuring rapid validation without unnecessary load.

5

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By combining context about software stack, versioning, exposure status, and reachability, IONIX ensures that only the right payloads are executed against the right assets, maximizing efficiency and minimizing risk.

6

Drive Fast and Actionable Remediation

Results are routed through integrations with ticketing, SOAR, and SIEM tools. Issues are written in plain language, bundled into remediation clusters, and prioritized based on asset criticality, exploitability, and blast radius. This shortens mean time to remediation (MTTR) and empowers teams to act with confidence.

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