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CVE-2023-46251

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

7.5 HighFix available

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 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: 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.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.56%Up 0.5 points since Nov 7, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.5

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

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 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: 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.
Record
CVE-2023-46251
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-50480 7.5

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 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: 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.
Record
EUVD-2023-50480
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-03
NVD 7.5

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 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: 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.
Record
CVE-2023-46251
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 3.1
6.1 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.5

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

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 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: 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.
Record
CVE-2023-46251
CVSS 3.1
7.5 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-79
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVBIT-mybb-2023-46251 No score

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 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: 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.

Record
BIT-mybb-2023-46251
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
mybb
Bitnami
before 1.8.37
1.8.37

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, publishedEUVD
first indexedCVE List, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2023-46251 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Mybb, published November 6, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.56%, the 46th percentile. Fixed in mybb 1.8.37.

References

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