CVE-2023-50172 identifies a weakness in the password recovery process of WWBN AVideo, specifically in the userRecoverPass.php script's CAPTCHA validation. The vulnerability arises because the CAPTCHA validation can be bypassed via a specially crafted HTTP request, allowing an attacker to silently generate a recovery pass code for any user account without triggering any user notification or requiring authentication. This flaw is categorized under CWE-640, which relates to weak password recovery mechanisms that can be exploited to compromise account integrity. The affected version is the development master commit 15fed957fb of AVideo, an open-source video platform. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, indicating a medium severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact is primarily on integrity, as unauthorized password reset codes can lead to account takeover, but confidentiality and availability are not directly affected. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's nature suggests it could be weaponized to facilitate unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially leading to further exploitation or data manipulation within the platform. The lack of a patch link indicates that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation steps.

For European organizations using WWBN AVideo, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized account access through silent password recovery code creation. Attackers could reset passwords for any user, potentially gaining control over user accounts and accessing sensitive video content or administrative functions. This could lead to data integrity issues, unauthorized content manipulation, or disruption of services. While confidentiality impact is limited, the integrity breach could undermine trust in the platform and lead to reputational damage. Organizations in sectors relying on secure video hosting—such as education, media, and corporate training—may face operational disruptions. Additionally, attackers could leverage compromised accounts to escalate privileges or move laterally within networks. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially given the low complexity and no authentication required for exploitation. European data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) may also impose compliance risks if unauthorized access leads to personal data exposure or breach notification requirements.

1. Immediately restrict access to the userRecoverPass.php endpoint by implementing IP whitelisting or network segmentation to limit exposure. 2. Enhance CAPTCHA mechanisms with more robust, modern anti-bot solutions or replace them with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for password recovery processes. 3. Implement rate limiting and anomaly detection on password recovery requests to identify and block suspicious activity. 4. Monitor logs for unusual password recovery attempts, especially those that do not trigger user notifications. 5. If possible, disable the password recovery feature temporarily until a patch is available. 6. Engage with WWBN or the AVideo community to obtain or contribute to a security patch addressing this vulnerability. 7. Educate users to report unexpected password recovery emails or notifications promptly. 8. Review and harden related authentication and session management controls to minimize impact if an account is compromised. 9. Conduct penetration testing focused on password recovery workflows to identify other potential weaknesses.