CVE-2023-46251
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.
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
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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 6.1 Medium
CVSS: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 High
CVSS: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
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
mybbBitnami |
before 1.8.37 | 1.8.37 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE 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.