CVE-2007-0622 in MyBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in MyBB (aka MyBulletinBoard) 1.2.2 allows remote attackers to send messages to arbitrary users. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2018
The cross-site request forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0622 affects MyBB version 1.2.2, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the application's ability to authenticate and validate user requests. This vulnerability resides within the message sending functionality of the bulletin board system, where the application fails to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms to verify that requests originate from legitimate authenticated users. The flaw enables malicious actors to craft specially crafted web pages or links that, when visited by authenticated users, automatically submit requests to the MyBB application without the user's knowledge or consent. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security model, as it allows unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users.
The technical nature of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of unique tokens or other validation mechanisms that would normally be required to verify the authenticity of requests. When users are logged into their MyBB accounts, the application should validate that any message sending requests are explicitly initiated by the authenticated user rather than being automatically triggered by external content. Without proper CSRF protection, the application's session management becomes vulnerable to exploitation, as the system cannot distinguish between legitimate user-initiated requests and maliciously crafted automated requests. This vulnerability specifically impacts the message functionality, allowing attackers to send arbitrary messages to other users within the forum system, potentially leading to spam, phishing attempts, or social engineering attacks that leverage the trusted user context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple message flooding, as it can enable more sophisticated attack vectors that leverage the trust relationship between the user and the application. Attackers can construct malicious web pages that automatically send messages to all users or specific target users, potentially spreading malware through message content, conducting phishing campaigns, or disrupting normal forum operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer without requiring any special privileges or authentication credentials beyond what is already available to the malicious actor. The potential for abuse includes creating false information, spreading malicious links, or using the forum's message system as a vector for further attacks, making this a significant concern for forum administrators and users who rely on the platform for communication and collaboration.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust CSRF protection mechanisms that align with established security standards and best practices. The most effective approach involves implementing unique, unpredictable tokens that are generated for each user session and validated with every request that modifies state or performs actions on behalf of the user. These tokens should be embedded within forms and validated server-side to ensure that requests originate from legitimate user interactions rather than automated or malicious sources. Additionally, the implementation should follow the principle of least privilege and ensure that all user actions are properly authenticated and authorized before execution. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as request origin validation, user activity monitoring, and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and demonstrates how even seemingly minor functionality can represent significant security risks when proper validation mechanisms are absent. The flaw aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a clear violation of the security principle that all user actions should be explicitly authorized and validated by the application.