Vikunja: Scoped API tokens with projects.background permission can delete project backgrounds

Description

Summary

Vikunja's scoped API token enforcement for custom project background routes is method-confused. A token with only projects.background can successfully delete a project background, while a token with only projects.background_delete is rejected.

This is a scoped-token authorization bypass.

Details

I verified this locally on commit c5450fb55f5192508638cbb3a6956438452a712e.

Relevant code paths:
* pkg/models/api_routes.go
* pkg/routes/routes.go
* pkg/modules/background/handler/background.go

Route registration exposes separate permissions for the same path:
* GET /api/v1/projects/:project/background -> projects.background
* DELETE /api/v1/projects/:project/background -> projects.background_delete

At enforcement time, CanDoAPIRoute() falls back to the parent group and reconstructs the child permission from the path segments only. For the DELETE request, that becomes background, so the matcher accepts any token containing projects.background without re-checking the HTTP method or matching the stored route detail.

This matters because RemoveProjectBackground() is a real destructive operation:
* It checks project update rights.
* It deletes the background file if present.
* It clears the project's BackgroundFileID.

PoC

  1. Log in as a user who can update a project that already has a background.
  2. Create an API token with only:
    {"projects":["background"]}
  3. Send:
    DELETE /api/v1/projects/<project_id>/background
    Authorization: Bearer <token>
  4. Observe that the request succeeds and the project background is removed.

For comparison:
1. Create an API token with only:
{"projects":["background_delete"]}
2. Repeat the same DELETE request.
3. Observe that the request is rejected with 401 Unauthorized.

I confirmed this locally with three validations:
1. /api/v1/routes advertises both background and background_delete.
2. The matcher unit test proves CanDoAPIRoute() accepts DELETE for background.
3. The webtest proves a real API token with only background successfully deletes the background.

Impact

Scoped API tokens can exceed their intended capability. A token intended for project background access can delete project backgrounds, which weakens the trust model for automation and third-party integrations that rely on narrowly scoped tokens.

The attacker needs a valid API token created by a user who has update rights on the target project, but the token itself only needs the weaker projects.background permission.

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
medium
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-04-10 15:36:47 UTC
Updated
2026-04-24 20:49:22 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-04-10 15:36:47 UTC
NVD published
2026-04-10

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.03% 8.15%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
5.4 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.

Identifiers

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-836 Use of Password Hash Instead of Password for Authentication
CWE-863 Incorrect Authorization

Credits

  • alecclyde (reporter)

Affected packages (1)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
go code.vikunja.io/api < 2.3.0 2.3.0

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence