CVE-2026-41887 MEDIUM

CVE-2026-41887: Flarum: Path traversal in LESS parser via theme color settings (incomplete fix for CVE-2023-27577)

Vendor Flarum
Product framework
Weakness CWE-22 · Path traversal
Published May 8, 2026
Last update May 8, 2026

CVSS base score

4.9/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required High
User interaction None
Confidentiality High
Integrity None

CVSS vector

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

What the vulnerability does

01Description

Flarum is open-source forum software. Prior to versions 1.8.16 and 2.0.0-rc.1, Flarum's patch for CVE-2023-27577 restricted the @import and data-uri() LESS features in the custom_less setting, but the same restriction was never applied to other settings registered as LESS config variables (for example theme_primary_color and theme_secondary_color, as well as any key registered via Extend\Settings::registerLessConfigVar()). Those values are interpolated verbatim into the LESS source at compile time, allowing an authenticated administrator to craft a theme-color value that injects an arbitrary @import directive into the compiled forum.css. Because the underlying LESS parser honours @import (inline) '<path>', an attacker can read arbitrary files reachable by the PHP process (local file inclusion) or trigger outbound HTTP(S) requests (server-side request forgery). This issue has been patched in versions 1.8.16 and 2.0.0-rc.1.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

May 8, 2026 CVE published
May 8, 2026 Record updated