Navigation Menu

Skip to content

Nested Email MyCode Persistent XSS

High
dvz published GHSA-6483-hcpp-p75w Feb 22, 2021

Package

MyBB

Affected versions

< 1.8.25

Patched versions

1.8.25

Description

Impact

The parsing of messages containing unexpectedly nested [email] MyCode (BBCode) tags may result in malformed HTML output, leading to an XSS vulnerability.

The vulnerability can be exploited with minimal user interaction by pointing a victim to page where a maliciously crafted MyCode message is rendered. This may occur when:

  • a new message form with instant preview is pre-filled through a POST or GET parameter, or
  • a message previously saved on the server (e.g. as a post or Private Message) is displayed.

The impact may be reduced when:

  • the [email] MyCode is disabled (Admin CP → Configuration → Settings → Clickable Smilies and BB Code: Allow Email MyCode setting is set to Off), or
  • MyCode is disabled for individual forums, Private Messages, user profile signatures, and calendars, or
  • guest users are not allowed to submit messages where MyCode is supported, or posting access is otherwise limited or controlled.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Overview

The HTML output of the [email] MyCode may include opening [ and closing ] square brackets in the value of the href="" attribute of the <a> tag.
This may result in unexpected, further parsing of MyCode and insertion of output in the parameter value with unescaped, colliding quotation marks ", leading to an XSS vulnerability.

Patches

MyBB 1.8.25 resolves this issue with the following changes:

Workarounds

To reduce impact without upgrading MyBB, change the following setting (Admin CP → Configuration → Settings):

References

For more information

Go to mybb.com/security to report possible security concerns or to learn more about security research at MyBB.

Contact

The security team can be reached at security@mybb.com.

Severity

High

CVE ID

CVE-2021-27279

Weaknesses