CVE-2026-57944 in AVideo
Summary
by MITRE • 08/22/2026
AVideo through commit 9c39d8c8 contains a cross-site request forgery vulnerability in channelToGallery.json.php that allows attackers to modify site-wide Gallery configuration by performing unauthorized writes to plugin data. Attackers can craft a cross-site GET request carrying an administrator's session cookie to promote arbitrary channels to the front page or delete curated sections without token validation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2026
The vulnerability identified in AVideo, specifically within the channelToGallery.json.php endpoint prior to commit 9c39d8c8, represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery flaw that undermines the integrity of site-wide gallery configurations. This security defect stems from an insufficient validation mechanism for incoming requests targeting plugin data management functions. The application fails to implement anti-CSRF tokens or equivalent state-checking mechanisms when processing GET requests intended to modify administrative settings. Consequently, any authenticated user session associated with an administrator account can be exploited by a malicious actor who crafts a deceptive request that appears legitimate to the web server but originates from an untrusted third-party domain. This lack of origin verification and token validation allows attackers to bypass standard access controls without requiring direct authentication credentials, relying instead on the victim's active browser session cookies which are automatically sent with cross-origin requests by default in most modern browsers.
From a technical perspective, the exploitation vector involves crafting a specific GET request that targets the vulnerable endpoint while embedding or triggering it through malicious HTML pages hosted on an attacker-controlled server. When an administrator visits this malicious page while logged into their AVideo instance, the browser automatically includes the session cookie associated with the administrative account. The application then processes this request as if it were initiated by the legitimate user within a trusted context. This allows the attacker to execute unauthorized writes to plugin data structures that govern gallery behavior. Specifically, the vulnerability enables two primary malicious outcomes: promoting arbitrary channels to the front page of the site and deleting curated sections from the gallery interface. These actions are performed without any additional confirmation steps or security checks, effectively allowing a remote adversary to manipulate public-facing content visibility and structure based solely on social engineering tactics that trick an administrator into loading a specific webpage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for both the integrity of the platform and its reputation as a trusted video hosting service. By promoting arbitrary channels to the front page, attackers can inject unwanted or malicious content directly into high-visibility areas, potentially distributing malware, phishing links, or inappropriate material under the guise of official site recommendations. This erodes user trust and may expose viewers to security risks associated with compromised third-party videos. Furthermore, the ability to delete curated sections disrupts the organizational structure of the gallery, leading to data loss for administrators who have invested time in curating specific content categories. The absence of audit trails or immediate alerts for such unauthorized modifications means that these changes can persist undetected until they are noticed by users or site managers, complicating forensic analysis and incident response efforts.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness where a user's current authentication session is used to perform an unwanted function on a trusted website without the user's consent. Additionally, from the perspective of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, this attack scenario maps to T1078 Valid Accounts and specifically leverages techniques related to Session Credential Theft or exploitation of valid credentials through social engineering. The lack of CSRF protection places it squarely within common web application vulnerabilities that are frequently exploited in automated campaigns targeting popular content management systems. To mitigate this risk, immediate remediation should involve implementing robust anti-CSRF token validation for all state-changing operations, particularly those affecting administrative settings and plugin configurations. Developers must ensure that sensitive actions require explicit user confirmation via POST requests with unique, unpredictable tokens rather than relying on GET parameters which are susceptible to pre-loading in image tags or hidden forms. Furthermore, enforcing SameSite cookie attributes can provide an additional layer of defense by restricting how cookies are sent across sites, thereby reducing the effectiveness of cross-origin request forgery attempts even if token validation is inadvertently bypassed.