CVE-2026-24885 in Kanboard
Summary
by MITRE • 02/10/2026
Kanboard is project management software focused on Kanban methodology. Prior to 1.2.50, a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability exists in the ProjectPermissionController within the Kanboard application. The application fails to strictly enforce the application/json Content-Type for the changeUserRole action. Although the request body is JSON, the server accepts text/plain, allowing an attacker to craft a malicious form using the text/plain attribute. Which allows unauthorized modification of project user roles if an authenticated admin visits a malicious site This vulnerability is fixed in 1.2.50.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-24885 represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery weakness in Kanboard project management software, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.2.50. This flaw resides within the ProjectPermissionController component and demonstrates a significant failure in the application's security validation mechanisms. The vulnerability exploits the inconsistent enforcement of Content-Type headers during API request processing, creating an avenue for attackers to manipulate user role assignments within project environments. The issue is particularly concerning given Kanboard's widespread adoption in collaborative project management scenarios where administrative privileges are frequently utilized.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the application's relaxed validation of Content-Type headers for the changeUserRole action endpoint. While the application correctly expects JSON formatted request bodies, it fails to strictly enforce the application/json Content-Type header requirement. This permissive approach allows attackers to submit malicious requests with text/plain Content-Type, effectively bypassing the security controls designed to prevent unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side validation logic that should reject requests with non-compliant Content-Type headers, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to craft malicious forms that exploit the trust relationship between authenticated users and the application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to manipulate user access controls within project environments. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website containing crafted CSRF payloads, the vulnerability allows unauthorized modification of project user roles without the administrator's knowledge or consent. This creates significant risk for organizations relying on Kanboard for project management, as attackers could potentially elevate user privileges, restrict access to critical project resources, or create backdoor accounts within project structures. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious site, making it difficult to detect and prevent through standard user education efforts.
Security controls for this vulnerability align with established best practices for CSRF protection as outlined in CWE-352 and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. The fix implemented in version 1.2.50 addresses the core issue by enforcing strict Content-Type header validation for the changeUserRole endpoint, ensuring that only properly formatted JSON requests are accepted. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including proper Content-Type validation, CSRF tokens for state-changing operations, and regular security updates to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of consistent security enforcement across all application endpoints and highlights the need for robust input validation mechanisms that prevent attackers from bypassing security controls through subtle implementation flaws. This type of vulnerability is particularly relevant in web applications where administrative functions are exposed through API endpoints and where user trust relationships are leveraged to perform critical operations.