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phpMyFAQ: /api/setup/backup accessible to any authenticated user (authz missing)

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Jan 23, 2026 in thorsten/phpMyFAQ • Updated Jan 28, 2026

Package

composer phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Composer)

Affected versions

<= 4.0.16

Patched versions

4.0.17
composer thorsten/phpmyfaq (Composer)
<= 4.0.16
4.0.17

Description

Summary

Authenticated non‑admin users can call /api/setup/backup and trigger a configuration backup. The endpoint only checks authentication, not authorization, and returns a link to the generated ZIP.

Details

SetupController.php uses userIsAuthenticated() but does not verify that the requester has configuration/admin permissions. This allows any logged‑in user to create a sensitive backup and retrieve its path.

PoC

Precondition: API enabled, any authenticated non‑admin user.

  • Log in as a non‑admin user.
  • Call backup endpoint.
curl -c /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"username":"tester","password":"Test1234!"}' \
  http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/v3.0/login

curl -i -b /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
  -X POST --data '4.0.16' \
  http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/setup/backup

Impact

Low‑privileged users can generate sensitive backups. If the ZIP is web‑accessible (server misconfiguration), this can lead to secret exposure.

References

@thorsten thorsten published to thorsten/phpMyFAQ Jan 23, 2026
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Jan 23, 2026
Reviewed Jan 23, 2026
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Jan 24, 2026
Last updated Jan 28, 2026

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(2nd percentile)

Weaknesses

Improper Authorization

The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. Learn more on MITRE.

Missing Authorization

The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2026-24421

GHSA ID

GHSA-wm8h-26fv-mg7g

Source code

Credits

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