Possible to use external url as avatar?

[Akam]

for phpbb, user can use external url for avatar. for this option avatar does not store on local server, avatar shows from that url. is this feature available on xenforo? i could not find any such option on my demo xenforo.

 

[Paul B]

That feature is not available in XF.

Avatars can be locally hosted or served from Gravatar.

 

[ShikiSuen]

for phpbb, user can use external url for avatar. for this option avatar does not store on local server, avatar shows from that url. is this feature available on xenforo? i could not find any such option on my demo xenforo.

This introduces risks of cross-site attack.
Some well-crafted image files can execute malicious codes on the clients' side.

 

[Akam]

This introduces risks of cross-site attack.
Some well-crafted image files can execute malicious codes on the clients' side.

could you please explain a bit how that can be happen?

 

[ShikiSuen]

could you please explain a bit how that can be happen?

I am not that expert enough to explain this to you clearly but just letting you know how danger this is.
You can always consult a web-server security consultant.

Unless one situation (theoreotically)... define external data folder to someplace which is a mounted remote folder.

 

[beerForo]

These will upload it from a URL:

Upload Avatar From URL

Upload Avatar From URL for XenForo 2.1.10.2+ Description This add-on allows users with permission to upload avatar from URL. Requirements PHP 7.3+ Permissions General permissions Upload an avatar from URL License This project is licensed...

xenforo.com

[tl] Avatar from URL

Description: Allow users upload avatar by provide valid image URL

xenforo.com

 

[Vekseid]

could you please explain a bit how that can be happen?

Older versions of Internet Explorer had a bug that would run scripts in any embedded file they found.

I ended up forcing even signature images to be local on my own forum because the stuff people put in their signatures would often slow down the entire page.

 

[ShikiSuen]

These will upload it from a URL:

Upload Avatar From URL

Upload Avatar From URL for XenForo 2.1.10.2+ Description This add-on allows users with permission to upload avatar from URL. Requirements PHP 7.3+ Permissions General permissions Upload an avatar from URL License This project is licensed...

xenforo.com

[tl] Avatar from URL

Description: Allow users upload avatar by provide valid image URL

xenforo.com

"Upload from URL" is acceptable, as long as XenForo can extract only image data from the URL-uploaded file to generate local avatar file copies.
"Direct link from external URL" is dangerous as what @Vekseid said in #7.