CVE-2016-8870 Missing authorization in n/a
Attackers can create user accounts in Joomla even when registration is disabled, bypassing security controls to gain unauthorized access.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2016-8870?
CVE-2016-8870 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 4 Nov 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The register method in the UsersModelRegistration class in controllers/user.php in the Users component in Joomla! before 3.6.4, when registration has been disabled, allows remote attackers to create user accounts by leveraging failure to check the Allow User Registration configuration setting.
Weakness: CWE-20
Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-8870?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Joomla Joomla\!.
How do I fix CVE-2016-8870?
No fix has been published for CVE-2016-8870 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2016-8870 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-8870 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module, 1 Exploit-DB entry and 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in Joomla Joomla\!
- CVE-2016-10033 PHPMailer Command Injection
- CVE-2023-23752 Joomla! Improper Access Control
- CVE-2026-48902 Joomla! Core - [20260518] - Transport encryption downgrade for password and username reset links
- CVE-2025-25226 [20250401] - Joomla Framework - SQL injection vulnerability in quoteNameStr method of Database package
- CVE-2022-23795 [20220303] - Core - User row are not bound to a authentication mechanism
Sources
Also known as GHSA-f3v8-7jfc-xgvg.