Phishing redirects via tab normalization mismatch
Published Aug 23, 2026 · Updated Aug 23, 2026
Open redirect in CTFd 3.8.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to send users to an external site through a crafted next parameter. The _is_safe_url validator examines a tab-containing target before browser normalization, so Python treats it as same-origin while the browser resolves it as an external host. A user must follow the crafted login or registration link and complete that flow; the redirect can support phishing but does not alter server data.
Summary
What happened
Open redirect in CTFd 3.8.4 and earlier allows remote attackers to send users to an external site through a crafted next parameter. The _is_safe_url validator examines a tab-containing target before browser normalization, so Python treats it as same-origin while the browser resolves it as an external host. A user must follow the crafted login or registration link and complete that flow; the redirect can support phishing but does not alter server data.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-78145
- Published
- Aug 23, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 23, 2026
- Vendor
- CTFd LLC
- Product
- CTFd
- Classifications
- CWE-601, T1204.001
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 23, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 23, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=3.8.0
- Affected versionversion=3.8.1
- Affected versionversion=3.8.2
- Affected versionversion=3.8.3
- Affected versionversion=3.8.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Open Redirect in CTFd Login and Registration Flowproof of concept · demonstrated
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo