CVE-2026-86727 in AVideo
Summary
by MITRE • 09/08/2026
AVideo through 29.0 contains an information disclosure vulnerability in plugin/Live/stats.json.php that allows unauthenticated attackers to retrieve stream keys and m3u8 URLs by accessing the endpoint without authentication. Attackers can enumerate private, unlisted, and group-restricted live streams by parsing the hidden_applications array in the JSON response to obtain sensitive streaming credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2026
The vulnerability identified in AVideo versions up through 29.0 represents a critical information disclosure flaw located within the plugin/Live/stats.json.php endpoint. This component is designed to provide statistical data regarding live streams, but it fails to implement adequate access control mechanisms for sensitive operational metadata. Specifically, the application does not verify whether the requesting user has permission to view private, unlisted, or group-restricted content before returning detailed stream information. As a result, any individual with network connectivity to the AVideo instance can interact directly with this endpoint without providing valid credentials or session tokens. This lack of authentication enforcement transforms what should be an internal administrative function into a publicly accessible data source, exposing critical infrastructure details that are intended to remain confidential within specific user groups or private contexts.
The technical nature of this flaw centers on the improper exposure of sensitive streaming parameters in the JSON response payload. When an attacker accesses the stats.json.php endpoint, the server returns a structured object containing various metrics about active streams. Crucially, this response includes a hidden_applications array that contains live stream keys and m3u8 URLs for all configured streams, regardless of their visibility settings. The streaming key acts as a secret credential required to broadcast video content to the platform, while the m3u8 URL provides direct access to the media playlist used by players to render the video feed. By parsing this array, an attacker can extract these values without any prior interaction with the application interface or successful login attempts. This behavior indicates that the backend logic relies solely on client-side visibility flags rather than server-side authorization checks when generating statistics for live streams.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. First, the exposure of stream keys allows attackers to hijack active broadcasts by injecting their own video feeds into existing channels using the stolen credentials. This can lead to content injection attacks where malicious or inappropriate material replaces legitimate programming, causing significant reputational damage to the organization hosting the streams. Second, access to m3u8 URLs enables unauthorized viewing of private events, confidential meetings, or restricted educational content that was intended for a limited audience. Attackers can record these streams and distribute them externally, leading to data breaches involving sensitive information shared during live broadcasts. Furthermore, the ability to enumerate all active streams provides reconnaissance value, allowing adversaries to map out the organization's broadcasting infrastructure and identify high-value targets for further exploitation or disruption of service through resource exhaustion attacks leveraging the known endpoints.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200: Information Exposure, as it involves the unintentional disclosure of sensitive information that could be exploited by an adversary. Additionally, it maps to ATT&CK technique T1530: Data from Cloud Storage Objects if the streams are hosted on external cloud services, or more broadly to reconnaissance activities where attackers gather data about the target environment. The failure to enforce access control also relates to CWE-862: Missing Authorization, as the application does not verify user privileges before revealing restricted data. To mitigate this risk, developers must implement strict server-side authentication and authorization checks on all endpoints that return sensitive operational metadata. Specifically, the stats.json.php endpoint should validate that the requesting user has explicit permission to view statistics for each specific stream ID included in the request. Access controls should be enforced at the database query level or through middleware that intercepts requests before data serialization occurs. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and monitoring for unusual access patterns can help detect automated enumeration attempts. Organizations running affected versions of AVideo should immediately apply vendor-provided patches if available, or temporarily disable the live streaming plugin until a secure update is deployed to prevent further unauthorized access to sensitive broadcasting credentials.