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CVE-2025-48941

MyBB may disclosure unviewable threads' titles in searches

CVSS 5.3 MEDIUMEPSS 0.3%CWE-1230
In short

MyBB's search function reveals whether hidden threads (drafts, unapproved, or deleted) exist by showing different responses for found versus not-found searches, allowing attackers to discover thread titles they shouldn't see.

Technical detail

The search component fails to validate thread visibility permissions in internal queries, using redirect/success responses for matches and error messages for non-matches; this information leakage allows users with search access to enumerate hidden threads (visible=-2, -1, or 0) by title, though post content remains protected.

Summary generated and translated by AI from the official description.
MyBB is free and open source forum software. Prior to version 1.8.39, the search component does not validate permissions correctly, which allows attackers to determine the existence of hidden (draft, unapproved, or soft-deleted) threads containing specified text in the title. The visibility state (`mybb_threads.visible` integer column) of threads is not validated in internal search queries, whose result is used to output a general success or failure of the search. While MyBB validates permissions when displaying the final search results, a search operation that internally produces at least one result outputs a redirect response (as a HTTP redirect, or a success message page with delayed redirect, depending on configuration). On the other hand, a search operation that internally produces no results outputs a corresponding message in the response without a redirect. This allows a user to determine whether threads matching title search parameters exist, including draft threads (`visible` with a value of `-2`), soft-deleted threads (`visible` with a value of `-1`), and unapproved threads (`visible` with a value of `0`); in addition to displaying generally visible threads (`visible` with a value of `1`). This vulnerability does not affect other layers of permissions. In order to exploit the vulnerability, the user must have access to the search functionality, and general access to forums containing the thread(s). The vulnerability does not expose the message content of posts. MyBB 1.8.39 resolves this issue.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Affected products
mybb · mybb

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