MyTube: Incorrect Authorization
CVE-2026-23837 is a critical-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in MyTube from Franklioxygen, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected MyTube versions: < 1.7.66. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.65% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of MyTube you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklioxygen | MyTube | < 1.7.66 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
MyTube is a self-hosted downloader and player for several video websites. A vulnerability present in version 1.7.65 and poetntially earlier versions allows unauthenticated users to bypass the mandatory authentication check in the roleBasedAuthMiddleware. By simply not providing an authentication cookie (making req.user undefined), a request is incorrectly passed through to downstream handlers. All users running MyTube with loginEnabled: true are impacted. This flaw allows an attacker to access and modify application settings via /api/settings, change administrative and visitor passwords, and access other protected routes that rely on this specific middleware. The problem is patched in v1.7.66. MyTube maintainers recommend all users upgrade to at least version v1.7.64 immediately to secure their instances. The fix ensures that the middleware explicitly blocks requests if a user is not authenticated, rather than defaulting to next(). Those who cannot upgrade immediately can mitigate risk by restricting network access by usi a firewall or reverse proxy (like Nginx) to restrict access to the /api/ endpoints to trusted IP addresses only or, if they are comfortable editing the source code, manually patch by locating roleBasedAuthMiddleware and ensuring that the logic defaults to an error (401 Unauthorized) when req.user is undefined, instead of calling next().
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Authorization
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- github.com/franklioxygen/MyTube/security/advisories/GHSA-cmvj-g69f-8664Third Party Advisory
Patches and release notes
Other vulnerabilities in MyTube
- 8.7 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Incorrect Authorization vulnerabilities
- 7.6 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.0 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
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