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Authorization bypass in phpMyFAQ lets users download restricted attachments

Priority MEDIUM 64CWE-862Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
Security bypass
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.

Summary

phpMyFAQ before 4.1.9 and 4.2.0-alpha before 4.2.0-beta contains an authorization bypass in attachment.php. The flaw stems from missing authorization (CWE-862) because per-record permission checks are skipped, so attachments of restricted FAQs can be downloaded. Low-privileged users with the dlattachment right, or anonymous users when allowDownloadsForGuests is enabled, can retrieve confidential files by requesting attachment IDs.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

Description from the CNA

phpMyFAQ before 4.1.9 and 4.2.0-alpha before 4.2.0-beta contains an authorization bypass vulnerability in attachment.php that allows attackers to download attachments of restricted FAQs by bypassing per-record permission checks. Low-privileged users with the dlattachment right, or anonymous users when allowDownloadsForGuests is enabled, can request attachment IDs to retrieve confidential files from restricted FAQs.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0028 20th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed phpMyFAQ (thorsten): 4.1.9, 4.2.0-beta

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
thorstenphpMyFAQbefore 4.1.94.1.9Patch availableCNA
thorstenphpMyFAQ4.2.0-alpha to before 4.2.0-beta4.2.0-betaPatch availableCNA
  • phpMyFAQ Vendorthorsten Affected before 4.1.9 Fixed in 4.1.9 Patch available CNA
  • phpMyFAQ Vendorthorsten Affected 4.2.0-alpha to before 4.2.0-beta Fixed in 4.2.0-beta Patch available CNA

CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1

Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:phpmyfaq:phpmyfaq:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*——thorsten
  • cpe:2.3:a:phpmyfaq:phpmyfaq:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·thorsten

Remediation

Upgrade phpMyFAQ to version 4.1.9 or to 4.2.0-beta. CISA's SSVC data rates exploitation as PoC and the issue is not listed in CISA KEV.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-28

  • Fix · CNA phpMyFAQ (thorsten) Fixed in 4.1.9
  • Fix · CNA phpMyFAQ (thorsten) Fixed in 4.2.0-beta

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

  • Release ·

    thorsten phpMyFAQ 4.2.0-beta

    24 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 10 HIGH, 10 MEDIUM, 4 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2026-76108 Unauthenticated denial of service in phpMyFAQ API paginationPriority HIGH 77
    • TI-2026-76115 Authorization bypass in phpMyFAQ REST API edits restricted FAQsPriority HIGH 73
    • TI-2026-76092 phpMyFAQ e-mail change lacks password check, enabling takeoverPriority HIGH 73
  • Release ·

    thorsten phpMyFAQ 4.1.9

    14 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 5 HIGH, 6 MEDIUM, 3 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2026-76118 Authentication bypass in phpMyFAQ via WebAuthn credential injectionPriority HIGH 81
    • TI-2026-76115 Authorization bypass in phpMyFAQ REST API edits restricted FAQsPriority HIGH 73
    • TI-2026-76092 phpMyFAQ e-mail change lacks password check, enabling takeoverPriority HIGH 73

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-18 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-111910
  2. 2026-10-18 Alias added: GHSA-x6rh-6v24-8xcj
  3. 2026-10-18 Priority changed: MEDIUM → LOW
  4. 2026-10-21 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  5. 2026-10-21 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM

References

  • TI-2023-00296 Improper Authentication in thorsten/phpmyfaq CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2026-76118 Authentication bypass in phpMyFAQ via WebAuthn credential injection CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
  • TI-2026-32868 phpMyFAQ - Unauthenticated Two-Factor Authentication Brute-Force via /admin/check Endpoint CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
  • TI-2026-76108 Unauthenticated denial of service in phpMyFAQ API pagination CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
  • TI-2026-53313 phpMyFAQ 3.1.0 through 4.1.6 Authentication Bypass via LDAP CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2026-34083 phpMyFAQ - Unauthenticated Information Disclosure via getIdFromSolutionId Permission Bypass CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
See all 224 →

Sources