CVE-2007-1964 in MyBB
Summary
by MITRE
member.php in MyBB (aka MyBulletinBoard), when debug mode is available, allows remote authenticated users to change the password of any account by providing the account s registered e-mail address in a debug request for a do_lostpw action, which prints the change password verification code in the debug output.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1964 affects MyBB, a popular bulletin board system, specifically targeting the member.php script when debug mode is enabled. This security flaw represents a critical authorization bypass issue that allows authenticated attackers to exploit the password recovery mechanism without proper authentication. The vulnerability stems from the system's improper handling of debug output in the do_lostpw action, which inadvertently exposes sensitive information to unauthorized users. When an attacker with valid credentials submits a debug request containing a target user's email address, the system responds with the password reset verification code in the debug output, effectively enabling account takeover through social engineering or brute force attacks against the verification code.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the lack of proper input validation and output sanitization within the debug functionality of MyBB's authentication system. The system fails to verify that the user requesting password recovery is actually the legitimate account owner, relying instead on the email address provided in the debug request. This design flaw creates a path where the debug output reveals the password reset token that would normally be sent only to the legitimate user via email. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which deals with information exposure through output, and specifically relates to CWE-352, which addresses cross-site request forgery issues in authentication mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates poor separation of concerns where debug information should never contain sensitive authentication tokens or verification codes that could be exploited by unauthorized parties.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account compromise to potentially enable broader system infiltration and data breach scenarios. An attacker can systematically target multiple user accounts by exploiting the predictable nature of the password reset process, potentially gaining access to sensitive user information, private messages, and other account-specific data. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and authorization framework of the bulletin board system, undermining the trust model that users place in the platform's security measures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566, which covers credential harvesting through social engineering, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts usage. The attack chain typically involves gaining initial access through legitimate means, then leveraging this vulnerability to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to other user accounts without requiring additional authentication factors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper access controls and output sanitization within debug modes. System administrators should disable debug functionality in production environments or ensure that debug output does not contain sensitive authentication tokens or verification codes. The implementation should enforce strict input validation to verify that password recovery requests originate from legitimate users and that verification codes are only displayed to authorized parties. Security patches should include modifications to the member.php script to prevent debug output from revealing password reset tokens, ensuring that these sensitive elements are properly sanitized before any debug information is generated. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring for unusual password recovery patterns and consider implementing multi-factor authentication to provide additional protection layers against account takeover attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and the need for comprehensive security testing, particularly in authentication mechanisms where debug information could inadvertently expose sensitive system components.