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phpMyFAQ EUVDEUVD-2026-32902

| CVE-2026-35671 HIGH
Incorrect Privilege Assignment (CWE-266)
2026-05-28 VulnCheck GHSA-xvp4-phqj-cjr3
8.7
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Recon
    Obtain low-privilege admin credentials
  2. Delivery
    Authenticate to phpMyFAQ admin UI
  3. Exploit
    Capture valid CSRF token for overwrite-password page
  4. Install
    Send crafted PUT to /admin/api/user/overwrite-password with userId=1
  5. C2
    Bypass missing authorization check in overwritePassword()
  6. Execute
    Log in as SuperAdmin with new password
  7. Impact
    Full takeover of phpMyFAQ instance

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Privilege assignment review
Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the attacker to already hold an authenticated phpMyFAQ admin session with the USER_EDIT permission and a valid CSRF token scoped to the 'overwrite-password' page, and to be able to reach the /admin/api/user/overwrite-password endpoint over the network - these match CVSS PR:L, AV:N, AC:L, AT:N, UI:N. No special non-default configuration, plugin, or platform is required: the vulnerable overwritePassword() controller in UserController.php ships in every phpMyFAQ build before 4.1.3. The principal limiting factor is the PR:L precondition - purely anonymous internet attackers cannot exploit this directly - but in deployments that delegate the 'admin' role to non-trusted staff (a common phpMyFAQ pattern for content editors), the bar is effectively low.

Impact

This is a real, high-priority issue for any organization running phpMyFAQ with delegated admin accounts. The CVSS 4.0 vector AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H (base 8.7) is internally consistent with the description: network reachable, low complexity, requires a low-privilege admin token, no user interaction, and full confidentiality/integrity/availability impact on the application after takeover of SuperAdmin. EPSS, KEV listing, and SSVC decision data were not provided in the input, so probabilistic exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified, and there is no confirmation of active exploitation. The risk skew here is driven by the precondition (an attacker must already hold an admin-tier account), but in environments where 'admin' is delegated to many staff members or content editors, that bar is low, and the vendor advisory publishes the exact vulnerable file and method, so exploit construction is trivial even without a packaged PoC.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

A content-editor-level admin (or an external attacker who has phished or brute-forced any low-tier admin credential) sends an authenticated PUT to /admin/api/user/overwrite-password with a valid CSRF token and a JSON body containing userId=1, newPassword, and passwordRepeat. The server overwrites the SuperAdmin password without checking the target's privilege level, after which the attacker logs in as SuperAdmin and gains full control of the phpMyFAQ instance, its content, and any integrated data sources. No packaged PoC is referenced in the inputs, but the GHSA advisory discloses the exact request shape and vulnerable method, making reproduction straightforward.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv3 – May 28, 2026

Privilege escalation in phpMyFAQ before 4.1.3 allows any authenticated low-privilege administrator to take over SuperAdmin (userId=1) or any other account by manipulating the userId parameter in the /admin/api/user/overwrite-password PUT request. The flaw is an insecure direct object reference (IDOR) in the Admin API where authorization checks confirm only that the caller holds the generic USER_EDIT permission, never that the caller is authorized to manage the targeted account. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, but the GHSA advisory from the vendor (thorsten) publicly documents the exact vulnerable code path, making weaponization trivial.

Earlier versions of this analysis (2)
v2 May 28, 2026 - 16:35 cvss changed CVSS 8.7

Privilege escalation in phpMyFAQ before 4.1.3 allows any authenticated low-privilege administrator to take over arbitrary accounts - including SuperAdmin (userId=1) - by tampering with the userId parameter sent to the /admin/api/user/overwrite-password endpoint. The flaw is an Insecure Direct Object Reference (CWE-266) in the overwritePassword() controller, which checks only that the caller holds the generic USER_EDIT permission and never validates ownership or relative privilege of the target account. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, but the GitHub Security Advisory (GHSA-xvp4-phqj-cjr3) publishes full source-level details that make weaponization trivial.

v1 May 28, 2026 - 15:54 CVSS 8.8

Privilege escalation in phpMyFAQ before 4.1.3 allows any authenticated administrator to take over arbitrary user accounts - including the SuperAdmin (userId=1) - by tampering with the userId parameter sent to the /admin/api/user/overwrite-password endpoint. The endpoint validates only that the caller holds the USER_EDIT permission and verifies a CSRF token, but never checks whether the target user is within the caller's authority, producing a textbook Insecure Direct Object Reference. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, though the GHSA advisory publishes the vulnerable code path in full, making reproduction trivial.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patch: upgrade phpMyFAQ to version 4.1.3 or later via Composer (thorsten/phpmyfaq or phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq), per GHSA-xvp4-phqj-cjr3 (https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/security/advisories/GHSA-xvp4-phqj-cjr3). If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict network access to the /admin path (for example via a reverse proxy ACL, IP allowlist, or VPN-only access) so that only trusted operators can reach the admin API surface - this prevents exploitation but blocks remote admin workflows for legitimate users. As an additional compensating control, audit and reduce the number of accounts holding the USER_EDIT permission and rotate all admin and SuperAdmin passwords after patching, since prior compromise of any admin account is sufficient to have already pivoted to SuperAdmin; note that password rotation alone does not remediate the bug, only upgrading does. Additional context is available in the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/phpmyfaq-insecure-direct-object-reference-in-user-password-api.

Affected VersionsENISA

phpMyFAQ 0 <4.1.3

Affected Packages

composer phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq fix: 4.1.3
composer thorsten/phpmyfaq fix: 4.1.3
euvd phpmyfaq fix: 4.1.3

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 3 packages in composer, euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

phpMyFAQ is a popular open-source PHP-based FAQ management system maintained by Thorsten Rinne and distributed via Composer (composer/thorsten/phpmyfaq and composer/phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq, per CPE cpe:2.3:a:thorsten:phpmyfaq). The root cause maps to CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment): in phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Controller/Administration/Api/UserController.php (lines 232-271), the overwritePassword() method calls userHasUserPermission() - which only verifies the generic USER_EDIT capability - and then trusts the client-supplied userId from the JSON body to select which account's password to reset. CSRF is verified, but no horizontal or vertical authorization check confirms the caller is allowed to manage the targeted user or that the target's privilege level is equal or lower than the caller's, so a low-tier admin can pivot to userId=1 (SuperAdmin).

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Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY 8.7 HIGH
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Attack Requirements
None
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Vulnerable system: Confidentiality
High
Vulnerable system: Integrity
High
Vulnerable system: Availability
High
Subsequent system: Confidentiality
None
Subsequent system: Integrity
None
Subsequent system: Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

4
Patch available
May 28, 2026 - 17:01 EUVD
Analysis Updated
May 28, 2026 - 16:36 vuln.today
v3 - CVSS changed
Analysis Updated
May 28, 2026 - 16:35 vuln.today
v2 - CVSS changed
CVSS changed
May 28, 2026 - 16:22 NVD
8.8 (HIGH) 8.7 (HIGH)

DescriptionCVE.org

phpMyFAQ before 4.1.3 contains an insecure direct object reference vulnerability in the admin API user password endpoint that allows authenticated administrators to change any user's password without authorization verification. An attacker with low-privilege admin credentials can escalate to SuperAdmin by modifying the userId parameter in the overwrite-password API request.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

phpMyFAQ versions before 4.1.3 contain a privilege escalation vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) allowing authenticated low-privilege administrators to hijack SuperAdmin and other administrator accounts, effectively granting full system control. Organizations relying on role-based admin separation face complete administrative compromise. Weaponization would be trivial given public disclosure of the vulnerable code path, requiring urgent remediation across all affected deployments.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch: Update phpMyFAQ to version 4.1.3 or later. Interim measures: restrict network access to phpMyFAQ admin interfaces and disable non-essential low-privilege administrator accounts.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 88% exploitable
Threat Intel
1
1 source
Exploit
POC
Public exploit code exists
Data Quality
7 sources
Confidence: High
EUVD NVD CVE.org EPSS Vulnrichment GHSA GitHub VulDB

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC Yes
EPSS 0.0%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
Poc
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

64
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +44
PoC: +20
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.

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