GHSA-v479-vf79-mg83
Vikunja: Scoped API tokens with projects.background permission can delete project backgrounds
Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go | code.vikunja.io/api | < 2.3.0 | 2.3.0 |
Details
As written in the advisory (Markdown source, shown as plain text).
### Summary
Vikunja's scoped API token enforcement for custom project background routes is method-confused. A token with only `projects.background` can successfully delete a project background, while a token with only `projects.background_delete` is rejected.
This is a scoped-token authorization bypass.
### Details
I verified this locally on commit `c5450fb55f5192508638cbb3a6956438452a712e`.
Relevant code paths:
* `pkg/models/api_routes.go`
* `pkg/routes/routes.go`
* `pkg/modules/background/handler/background.go`
Route registration exposes separate permissions for the same path:
* `GET /api/v1/projects/:project/background` -> `projects.background`
* `DELETE /api/v1/projects/:project/background` -> `projects.background_delete`
At enforcement time, `CanDoAPIRoute()` falls back to the parent group and reconstructs the child permission from the path segments only. For the DELETE request, that becomes `background`, so the matcher accepts any token containing `projects.background` without re-checking the HTTP method or matching the stored route detail.
This matters because `RemoveProjectBackground()` is a real destructive operation:
* It checks project update rights.
* It deletes the background file if present.
* It clears the project's `BackgroundFileID`.
### PoC
1. Log in as a user who can update a project that already has a background.
2. Create an API token with only:
`{"projects":["background"]}`
3. Send:
`DELETE /api/v1/projects/<project_id>/background`
`Authorization: Bearer <token>`
4. Observe that the request succeeds and the project background is removed.
**For comparison:**
1. Create an API token with only:
`{"projects":["background_delete"]}`
2. Repeat the same DELETE request.
3. Observe that the request is rejected with `401 Unauthorized`.
I confirmed this locally with three validations:
1. `/api/v1/routes` advertises both `background` and `background_delete`.
2. The matcher unit test proves `CanDoAPIRoute()` accepts DELETE for `background`.
3. The webtest proves a real API token with only `background` successfully deletes the background.
### Impact
Scoped API tokens can exceed their intended capability. A token intended for project background access can delete project backgrounds, which weakens the trust model for automation and third-party integrations that rely on narrowly scoped tokens.
The attacker needs a valid API token created by a user who has update rights on the target project, but the token itself only needs the weaker `projects.background` permission.
References
External links from the advisory. They lead to third-party sites.
- https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja/security/advisories/GHSA-v479-vf79-mg83
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40103
- https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja/pull/2584
- https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja/commit/6a0f39b252a81fa4b19dc56dc889183acc9225ae
- https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja
- https://github.com/go-vikunja/vikunja/releases/tag/v2.3.0