CVE-2023-53979Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Administrator code execution via language-file inclusion

Published Dec 22, 2025 · Updated Dec 22, 2025

Path traversal in MyBB 1.8.32 allows remote authenticated users with administrative rights to execute arbitrary server-side code. The Admin CP Languages module concatenates attacker-controlled editwith and file values into $editfile and includes it, permitting ../ traversal to a PHP-bearing uploaded avatar. Exploitation requires rights to change settings and avatars, then redirects the avatar upload path to inc before including the image as PHP.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in MyBB 1.8.32 allows remote authenticated users with administrative rights to execute arbitrary server-side code. The Admin CP Languages module concatenates attacker-controlled editwith and file values into $editfile and includes it, permitting ../ traversal to a PHP-bearing uploaded avatar. Exploitation requires rights to change settings and avatars, then redirects the avatar upload path to inc before including the image as PHP.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-53979
Published
Dec 22, 2025
Updated
Dec 22, 2025
Vendor
MyBB
Product
MyBB
Classifications
CWE-22, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 22, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 22, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=MyBB 1.8.32

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

MyBB · MyBBversion=MyBB 1.8.32

Published CVSS scores

8.8VulnCheckCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.6VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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