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Vulnerability record · CVE-2020-15149 · published 20 August 2020

CVE-2020-15149: Nodebb improper privilege management vulnerability

Nodebb · Nodebb

NodeBB before version 1.14.3 has a bug introduced in version 1.12.2 in the validation logic that makes it possible to change the password of any user on a running NodeBB forum by sending a specially crafted socket.io call to the server. This could lead to a privilege escalation event due via an account takeover. As a workaround you may cherry-pick the following commit from the project's repository to your running instance of NodeBB: 16cee1b03ba3eee177834a1fdac4aa8a12b39d2a. This is fixed in version 1.14.3.

9.9 CVSS 3.1 Critical EPSS 2.4% · top 16.4% CWE-269 · Improper privilege managementCWE-287 · Improper authentication
9.9CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 6.5
2.4%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
8References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

NodeBB before version 1.14.3 has a bug introduced in version 1.12.2 in the validation logic that makes it possible to change the password of any user on a running NodeBB forum by sending a specially crafted socket.io call to the server. This could lead to a privilege escalation event due via an account takeover. As a workaround you may cherry-pick the following commit from the project's repository to your running instance of NodeBB: 16cee1b03ba3eee177834a1fdac4aa8a12b39d2a. This is fixed in version 1.14.3.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159560/NodeBB-Forum-1.14.2-Account-Takeover.html Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/commit/c2477d9d5ffc43e5ffeb537ea2ceb4ce9592aa39 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/security/advisories/GHSA-hr66-c8pg-5mg7 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://zeroauth.ltd/blog/2020/08/20/proof-of-concept-exploit-for-cve-2020-15149-nodebb-arbitrary-user-password-change/ Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159560/NodeBB-Forum-1.14.2-Account-Takeover.html Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/commit/c2477d9d5ffc43e5ffeb537ea2ceb4ce9592aa39 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/security/advisories/GHSA-hr66-c8pg-5mg7 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://zeroauth.ltd/blog/2020/08/20/proof-of-concept-exploit-for-cve-2020-15149-nodebb-arbitrary-user-password-change/ Third Party Advisory

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2020-15149), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.