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Fencer Vulns
high 7.5

CVE-2023-46251 json

Visual editor persistent Cross-site Scripting (XSS) in MyBB

published 2023-11-06 3 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also BIT-mybb-2023-46251 , EUVD-2023-50480 , GHSA-wj33-q7vj-9fr8

cvss
7.5
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.6%
EPSS 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 46%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

MyBB is a free and open source forum software. Custom MyCode (BBCode) for the visual editor (_SCEditor_) doesn't escape input properly when rendering HTML, resulting in a DOM-based XSS vulnerability. This weakness can be exploited by pointing a victim to a page where the visual editor is active (e.g. as a post or Private Message) and operates on a maliciously crafted MyCode message. This may occur on pages where message content is pre-filled using a GET/POST parameter, or on reply pages where a previously saved malicious message is quoted. The impact is be mitigated when: 1. the visual editor is disabled globally (_Admin CP → Configuration → Settings → Clickable Smilies and BB Code: [Clickable MyCode Editor](https://github.com/mybb/mybb/blob/mybb_1836/install/resources/settings.xml#L2087-L2094)_ is set to _Off_), or 2. the visual editor is disabled for individual user accounts (_User CP → Your Profile → Edit Options_: _Show the MyCode formatting options on the posting pages_ checkbox is not checked). MyBB 1.8.37 resolves this issue with the commit `6dcaf0b4d`. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade may mitigate the impact without upgrading MyBB by changing the following setting (_Admin CP → Configuration → Settings_): - _Clickable Smilies and BB Code → [Clickable MyCode Editor](https://github.com/mybb/mybb/blob/mybb_1836/install/resources/settings.xml#L2087-L2094)_: _Off_. Similarly, individual MyBB forum users are able to disable the visual editor by diabling the account option (_User CP → Your Profile → Edit Options_) _Show the MyCode formatting options on the posting pages_.

Patch / fix

  • bitnami mybb 1.8.37
  • mybb mybb 1.8.37

CISA SSVC

Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total
Assessed
2 y ago

Exploit prediction

0.56% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 46% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 7.5 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 6.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
OSV 3.1 6.1 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
bitnami mybb
<1.8.37
1.8.37

Affected products

  • mybb mybb

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-79 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.