📄 Description (English)
MyBB Downloads Plugin 2.0.3 contains a persistent cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows regular members to inject malicious scripts through the download title field. Attackers can submit a new download with HTML/JavaScript code in the title parameter, which executes when administrators validate the download in downloads.php.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
MyBB Downloads Plugin 2.0.3 contains a persistent XSS vulnerability allowing regular members to inject malicious scripts through download titles, which execute when administrators validate downloads. This high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.2) affects community platforms and content management systems widely deployed in Saudi organizations. With public exploits available and no official patch, immediate mitigation is critical to prevent administrative account compromise and data theft.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 7, 2026 22:39
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Government agencies and educational institutions using MyBB for community portals face significant risk of administrative account compromise. Saudi telecommunications companies (STC, Mobily) and financial institutions operating customer forums are vulnerable to credential theft and data exfiltration. Healthcare organizations using MyBB for patient portals could experience HIPAA-equivalent compliance violations. The vulnerability enables attackers to harvest admin session tokens, modify system configurations, and access sensitive organizational data. Small to medium enterprises across all sectors relying on MyBB for internal knowledge management systems are particularly exposed.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Education
Telecommunications
Banking and Financial Services
Healthcare
Energy
Retail
Manufacturing
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Disable the MyBB Downloads Plugin 2.0.3 immediately if not actively required
2. Restrict download submission permissions to trusted administrative users only
3. Implement input validation: sanitize all download title submissions using htmlspecialchars() and strip_tags()
4. Enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers: Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'
5. Review audit logs for suspicious download submissions with HTML/JavaScript patterns
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
- Upgrade to MyBB Downloads 2.0.4 or later when available
- If upgrade unavailable, apply manual code patch to downloads.php: escape output in download title display using proper encoding functions
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block script tags in download parameters
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
- Deploy ModSecurity with OWASP CRS rules to detect XSS payloads
- Implement admin approval workflow with secondary validation before download publication
- Use browser security extensions (uBlock Origin, NoScript) on admin workstations
- Monitor for suspicious JavaScript execution in admin sessions
DETECTION RULES:
- Alert on download submissions containing: <script>, javascript:, onerror=, onload=, event handlers
- Monitor downloads.php access logs for encoded payloads (%3Cscript, <script)
- Track admin account activity for unusual API calls or configuration changes post-validation
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تعطيل مكون MyBB Downloads 2.0.3 فوراً إذا لم يكن مطلوباً بنشاط
2. تقييد أذونات إرسال التنزيلات للمستخدمين الإداريين الموثوقين فقط
3. تنفيذ التحقق من الإدخال: تطهير جميع عمليات إرسال عنوان التنزيل باستخدام htmlspecialchars() و strip_tags()
4. تفعيل رؤوس سياسة أمان المحتوى: Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'
5. مراجعة سجلات التدقيق للتنزيلات المريبة التي تحتوي على أنماط HTML/JavaScript
إرشادات التصحيح:
- الترقية إلى MyBB Downloads 2.0.4 أو إصدار أحدث عند توفره
- إذا كانت الترقية غير متاحة، طبق تصحيح الكود اليدوي على downloads.php: تشفير الإخراج في عرض عنوان التنزيل باستخدام وظائف الترميز المناسبة
- تنفيذ قواعد جدار الحماية لتطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحظر علامات البرامج النصية في معاملات التنزيل
الضوابط التعويضية:
- نشر ModSecurity مع قواعد OWASP CRS للكشف عن حمولات XSS
- تنفيذ سير عمل الموافقة الإدارية مع التحقق الثانوي قبل نشر التنزيل
- استخدام امتدادات أمان المتصفح (uBlock Origin, NoScript) على محطات العمل الإدارية
- مراقبة تنفيذ JavaScript المريب في جلسات المسؤول
قواعد الكشف:
- تنبيه على إرسالات التنزيل التي تحتوي على: <script>, javascript:, onerror=, onload=, معالجات الأحداث
- مراقبة سجلات الوصول downloads.php للحمولات المشفرة (%3Cscript, <script)
- تتبع نشاط حساب المسؤول للاتصالات غير العادية أو تغييرات التكوين بعد التحقق
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Information security requirements for supplier relationships (third-party plugin security)
ECC 2024 A.14.2.5 - Addressing information security in supplier agreements (patch management requirements)
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities (timely remediation of XSS flaws)
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF 2.2 - Vulnerability Management (identification and remediation of XSS vulnerabilities)
SAMA CSF 3.1 - Access Control (preventing unauthorized administrative access via XSS)
SAMA CSF 4.2 - Data Protection (preventing data exfiltration through compromised admin accounts)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities and exposures
ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2.1 - Supplier security requirements
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.23 - Information security for supplier relationships
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.2 - Ensure security patches are installed within defined timeframe
PCI DSS 6.5.7 - Cross-site scripting prevention
🔗 References & Sources 3
🔗
https://community.mybb.com/mods.php?action=view&pid=854
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Permissions Required
Product
🔗
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44400
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Exploit
VDB Entry
🔗
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/mybb-downloads-plugin-persistent-xss-via-downloads...
disclosure@vulncheck.com
Third Party Advisory
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
mybb:mybb_downloads:2.0.3