YOURLS 1.8.2 Vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Attack
Security researchers disclose a CSRF vulnerability in YOURLS 1.8.2, enabling unauthorized URL shortening actions via crafted requests. Patch immediately.
YOURLS 1.8.2 Affected by Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) Vulnerability
Security researchers have identified a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in YOURLS 1.8.2, a popular open-source URL shortening service. The flaw, tracked under Exploit-DB ID 52446, allows attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users by tricking them into submitting malicious requests.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient CSRF token validation in YOURLS 1.8.2. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or links that, when accessed by an authenticated user, trigger unintended actions such as:
- Creating or deleting short URLs
- Modifying user settings
- Executing administrative functions (if the victim has elevated privileges)
The exploit does not require direct access to the YOURLS admin panel, as the attack relies on social engineering to deceive users into clicking a malicious link or visiting a compromised webpage.
Impact Analysis
Organizations and individuals using YOURLS 1.8.2 are at risk of:
- Unauthorized URL manipulation, leading to phishing or malware distribution via trusted short links
- Data integrity issues, including deletion or alteration of existing URLs
- Privilege escalation, if an admin user is targeted
The vulnerability is particularly concerning for enterprises relying on YOURLS for branded short links, as compromised URLs could damage reputation and erode user trust.
Recommendations
- Immediate Action: Upgrade to the latest patched version of YOURLS (if available) or apply security fixes provided by the maintainers.
- Temporary Mitigation: Disable CSRF-vulnerable features until a patch is applied.
- User Awareness: Train users to recognize phishing attempts and avoid clicking suspicious links.
- Monitoring: Audit YOURLS logs for unauthorized URL modifications or unusual activity.
For technical details and proof-of-concept (PoC) code, refer to the original disclosure on Exploit-DB.