Lack of media type verification of Activity Streams objects allows impersonation of remote accounts
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-434.
Summary
Mastodon is a free, open-source social network server based on ActivityPub. Prior to versions 4.2.7, 4.1.15, 4.0.15, and 3.5.19, when fetching remote statuses, Mastodon doesn't check that the response from the remote server has a `Content-Type` header value of the Activity Streams media type, which allows a threat actor to upload a crafted Activity Streams document to a remote server and make a Mastodon server fetch it, if the remote server accepts arbitrary user uploads. The vulnerability allows a threat actor to impersonate an account on a remote server that satisfies all of the following properties: allows the attacker to register an account; accepts arbitrary user-uploaded documents and places them on the same domain as the ActivityPub actors; and serves user-uploaded document in response to requests with an `Accept` header value of the Activity Streams media type. Versions 4.2.7, 4.1.15, 4.0.15, and 3.5.19 contain a fix for this issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mastodon | mastodon | before 3.5.19; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.15; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.15; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.7 | 3.5.19, 4.0.15, 4.1.15, 4.2.7 | Patch available | CNA |
- mastodon Vendormastodon Affected before 3.5.19; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.15; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.15; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.7 Fixed in 3.5.19, 4.0.15, 4.1.15, 4.2.7 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:joinmastodon:mastodon:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 3.5.19; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.15; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.15; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.7 | Vulnerable | mastodon |
- cpe:2.3:a:joinmastodon:mastodon:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.5.19; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.15; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.15; 4.2.0 to before 4.2.7 Vulnerable ·mastodon
Remediation
- Fix · CNA mastodon (mastodon) Fixed in 3.5.19, 4.0.15, 4.1.15, 4.2.7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-25623
References
More Mastodon vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-02004 Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts in mastodon/mastodon CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-34613 Mastodon e‑mail throttle misconfiguration allows unlimited email confirmations against unconfirmed emails CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2022-22936 Mastodon through 4.0.2 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (large Sidekiq pull… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-18301 Mastodon vulnerable to arbitrary file creation through media attachments CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2023-13359 Mastodon's blind LDAP injection in login allows the attacker to leak arbitrary attributes from LDAP database CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.7
- TI-2024-16846 External OpenID Connect Account Takeover by E-Mail Change in mastodon CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences