CVE-2019-9826: phpBB Denial of Service

phpbb/phpbb Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

24/05/2022
Yes i
High
7.5

CVE-2019-9826: phpBB Denial of Service. Affects phpbb/phpbb versions < 3.2.6. Fixed in 3.2.6. How to fix ↓

Free scan

Check if this vulnerability affects your application

Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.

Check my app free

No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds

Upload your dependency manifest or SBOM

Drag & drop your file here or

Java Javascript PHP Python Go Rust Ruby Dart C/C++ Elixir CycloneDX SPDX

Upload a supported dependency manifest or SBOM. No installation or source-code access required.

See supported files and SBOM formats
SBOM sbom.json · bom.json · bom.xml · *.spdx.json · *.cdx.json · *.cdx.xml
Java pom.xml · gradle.lockfile · buildscript-gradle.lockfile
Javascript package-lock.json · yarn.lock · pnpm-lock.yaml
PHP composer.lock
Python poetry.lock · requirements.txt · Pipfile.lock
Go go.mod
Rust Cargo.lock
Ruby Gemfile.lock
Dart pubspec.lock
C/C++ conan.lock
Elixir mix.lock
Enter your work email to receive your report link.

Verify your email to view the full report and start 30 days of continuous monitoring. No credit card required.

Sponsored MarkAI Find prospects already talking about the problem you solve AI watches the communities your customers use to find qualified prospects, then alerts you when a conversation is worth joining. See MarkAI

Background

phpBB is a popular open-source forum software written in PHP. It provides a platform for online communities to engage in discussions and share information. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9826 affects versions of phpBB prior to 3.2.6. This vulnerability specifically impacts the fulltext search component of phpBB, leading to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack.

Vulnerability Detail

The fulltext search component in phpBB before 3.2.6 is susceptible to a Denial of Service attack. This vulnerability allows an attacker to disrupt the normal functioning of the software, rendering it inaccessible to legitimate users. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can overload the search functionality, causing excessive resource consumption and potentially crashing the application. This can result in a significant impact on the availability and performance of the phpBB forum.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

3.2.6

This is the first release that contains the fix.

composer require phpbb/phpbb:3.2.6

Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →

Workaround

As a temporary workaround, users can disable the fulltext search functionality in phpBB to mitigate the risk of a Denial of Service attack. This can be achieved by modifying the configuration settings of the forum software. However, it is important to note that disabling the fulltext search may impact the search capabilities of the forum. Therefore, it is recommended to apply the official fix by upgrading to phpBB version 3.2.6 or later.

Conclusion

The CVE-2019-9826 vulnerability in phpBB poses a significant risk of a Denial of Service attack. It is crucial to upgrade to phpBB version 3.2.6 or later to address this vulnerability and ensure the security and availability of the forum. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for phpbb/phpbb →

Share this vulnerability

FAQ

phpBB is an open-source forum software written in PHP. It provides a platform for online communities to engage in discussions and share information.

A Denial of Service attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal functioning of a computer system or network, making it inaccessible to legitimate users.

The CVE-2019-9826 vulnerability in phpBB allows an attacker to launch a Denial of Service attack by exploiting the fulltext search component. This can result in the forum becoming unresponsive or crashing.

To mitigate the CVE-2019-9826 vulnerability, it is advised to upgrade phpBB to version 3.2.6 or later, which includes the necessary security patches and fixes.

Yes, as a temporary workaround, you can disable the fulltext search functionality in phpBB. However, this may impact the search capabilities of the forum.

Related vulnerabilities

Recent vulnerabilities recorded for phpbb/phpbb.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

3.2.6

This is the first release that contains the fix.

composer require phpbb/phpbb:3.2.6

Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →

Subscribe to Vulert on Telegram
Daily digest of new CVEs, critical and high severity, affected packages and fixes — plus a weekly roundup.
Join the channel →
Help improve this record
Report an issue or send feedback