CVE-2024-38457 in Xenforo
Summary
by MITRE • 06/16/2024
Xenforo before 2.2.16 allows CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2026
Cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities in Xenforo versions prior to 2.2.16 represent a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of web application authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of origin requests within the forum software's administrative interfaces, allowing malicious actors to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The flaw exists due to inadequate implementation of anti-CSRF tokens in critical administrative endpoints, creating an exploitable gap in the application's security controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks by failing to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same origin. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in third-party applications to force authenticated users to perform actions such as modifying user permissions, deleting posts, changing administrative settings, or manipulating forum configurations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the administrative interface where sensitive operations are performed.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass complete compromise of forum administration capabilities. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF flaw can gain unauthorized access to administrative functions that control user accounts, modify content policies, adjust security settings, and potentially escalate privileges within the Xenforo environment. This presents a significant risk to forum administrators who may be unaware that their systems have been compromised until unauthorized actions occur. The vulnerability also increases the attack surface for broader exploitation attempts, as successful CSRF attacks can serve as a foothold for more sophisticated attacks.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper anti-CSRF token validation throughout all administrative endpoints within Xenforo installations. Organizations should upgrade to version 2.2.16 or later where these security patches have been implemented, ensuring that all requests contain valid authentication tokens that are verified against the originating request source. Security measures should include implementing strict origin verification mechanisms and proper session management protocols to prevent unauthorized requests from being processed by the application's administrative functions.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust security controls in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through web application exploitation, where attackers leverage insufficient access control mechanisms to gain elevated privileges within the target system. Organizations should implement continuous monitoring for such vulnerabilities and establish regular patch management procedures to prevent exploitation of known security flaws. The incident also highlights the necessity of comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code review processes specifically targeting authentication and authorization controls within web applications.