phpMyFAQ missing authorization exposes /api/setup/backup to any authenticated user

published 2026-01-23 9 mo ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2026-4258 , GHSA-wm8h-26fv-mg7g

cvss: 6.5; version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 1.7%; EPSS 1.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 77%
public exploits: 1; Exploit-DB

phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below have flawed authorization logic which exposes the /api/setup/backup endpoint to any authenticated user despite their permissions. SetupController.php uses userIsAuthenticated() but does not verify that the requester has configuration/admin permissions. Non-admin users can trigger a configuration backup and retrieve its path. The endpoint only checks authentication, not authorization, and returns a link to the generated ZIP. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.17.

Patch / fix

fixed in 3

packagist phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq 4.0.17
packagist thorsten/phpmyfaq 4.0.17
phpmyfaq phpmyfaq 4.0.17

Timeline

2026-01-23 Published
2026-04-29 First public exploit (EDB-52523)

CISA SSVC

Exploitation: none
Automatable: no
Technical impact: partial
Assessed: 9 mo ago (2026-01-26)

Exploit prediction

1.74% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 77% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

EDB-52523 phpMyFAQ 4.0.16 - Improper Authorization webapps, 2026-04-29
github.com https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/security/advisories/GHSA-wm8h-26fv-mg7g referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
CNA	3.1	6.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
GitHub	3.1	6.5	CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Affected packages

ecosystem	package	affected	fixed in
packagist	phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq	<4.0.17	4.0.17
packagist	thorsten/phpmyfaq	<4.0.17	4.0.17

Affected products

thorsten phpMyFAQ

Classification

Weakness

CWE-862 Missing Authorization
CWE-285 Improper Authorization

References

github.com /thorsten/phpMyFAQ/security/advisories/GHSA-wm8h-26fv-mg7g
web, exploit, vendor-advisory
nvd.nist.gov /vuln/detail/CVE-2026-24421
advisory
github.com /thorsten/phpMyFAQ
package

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

CPEs and fixed versions use Anchore's correction of NVD's data: Added CPE configurations because not yet analyzed by NVD.

Summary