Skip to main content

phpMyFAQ EUVDEUVD-2026-97002

| CVE-2026-108851 MEDIUM
Missing Authorization (CWE-862)
2026-10-11 VulnCheck GHSA-52xr-g583-rx96
4.8
CVSS 4.0 · Vendor: VulnCheck
View

Attack ChainAIDerived

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

  1. Access
    Connect to phpmyfaq:mcp:server as MCP client
  2. Exploit
    Issue faq_search query via MCP tool
  3. Execution
    Search::searchDatabase() skips permission checks
  4. Impact
    Receive restricted FAQ question/answer text

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V8 - Authorization Authorization checks on every request
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires that the optional phpMyFAQ MCP server feature is enabled and that the attacker can connect to phpmyfaq:mcp:server as an MCP client with at least low-privilege access (CVSS PR:L) - it is not a remote-unauthenticated flaw. The affected feature is specifically the faq_search tool, whose executor calls Search::searchDatabase() without applying the per-user/per-group permission checks that normally restrict FAQ visibility. Exploitation is limited to confidentiality (reading question/answer text of active, access-restricted FAQs); there is no write, modification, or availability impact. Key limiting factors: the MCP server must be deployed and reachable (non-default for many installs), the attacker needs an authenticated/privileged MCP connection, the attack vector is local rather than network-facing, and only FAQs that are active and restricted are exposed.

Impact

This is a genuine but modest-priority issue, not a high-urgency flaw. The input CVSS 4.0 base score is 4.8 (Medium) with vector AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - a local attack vector, low complexity, but requiring low-level privileges (PR:L) and yielding only limited confidentiality impact (VC:L) with no integrity or availability impact. In plain terms, an actor who already holds some authenticated access to the MCP server can read restricted FAQ content they should not see; they cannot modify data or crash the service. There is NO EPSS score in the provided data and NO CISA KEV listing, so there is no quantitative exploitation-probability signal and no evidence of active exploitation. No SSVC decision record was supplied either. No explicit POC flag was provided, though VulnCheck and a hackmd write-up document the mechanism (Search::searchDatabase() omitting user/group permission checks). The signals are internally consistent - a low-privilege, local, confidentiality-only authorization gap - so there is no contradiction to flag, but defenders should note the key missing signals (EPSS and KEV absent) mean real-world exploitation likelihood is unquantified and should be treated as low absent further intelligence.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An actor with low-privilege access to a phpMyFAQ instance that has the MCP server enabled connects as an MCP client to phpmyfaq:mcp:server and invokes the faq_search tool. Because Search::searchDatabase() never applies user or group permission filters, the search returns the full question and answer text of FAQs that were restricted to specific users or groups, disclosing information the actor was not authorized to read. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, though the vulnerable code paths are documented in the references.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
No patch listed yet 0.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

Get an e-mail when this CVE is exploited, patched or re-scored. Free account.

Alert me

AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 11, 2026

Missing authorization in the phpMyFAQ MCP server's faq_search tool allows an authenticated MCP client to read the full question-and-answer text of active FAQs that are restricted to specific users or groups, because the underlying Search::searchDatabase() routine never applies the per-user or per-group permission checks that normally govern FAQ visibility. The flaw affects phpMyFAQ through 4.1.10 and is limited to confidentiality: exploitation requires that the optional MCP server feature is deployed and reachable and that the attacker can connect to phpmyfaq:mcp:server with at least low-privilege access (CVSS PR:L, local attack vector), so this is a modest-priority issue rather than a high-urgency flaw. No public exploit identified at time of analysis and no vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis; the issue is tracked under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization).

RemediationAI

No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis, so remediation must be compensating: the most direct control is to disable or uninstall the optional MCP server feature on phpMyFAQ hosts that do not require it, which eliminates the exposure entirely at the cost of losing MCP-based integrations; if MCP must remain, restrict reachability of the phpmyfaq:mcp:server endpoint to a trusted local host or an allow-listed management network segment (for example via reverse-proxy or firewall rules) and require strong, uniquely issued MCP client credentials, accepting that this only raises the bar for an attacker who already holds low-privilege access rather than fixing the missing check. Where the affected tool cannot be disabled or segmented, reduce blast radius by deactivating or re-classifying the FAQs whose question and answer text must stay user- or group-restricted, and monitor MCP query logs for broad or enumeration-style faq_search calls that would indicate abuse. Until an upstream fix is published, watch https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ and the VulnCheck advisory at https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/phpmyfaq-through-4.1.10-missing-authorization-via-mcp-server-faq-search-tool for a patched release, and re-apply the authorization predicates used elsewhere in the application to Search::searchDatabase() if maintaining a local code fix.

Affected VersionsENISA

phpMyFAQ 4.1.0 ≤4.1.10

Affected Packages

euvd phpmyfaq no fix

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in 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 PHP-based FAQ/knowledge-base application from vendor Thorsten (CPE cpe:2.3:a:thorsten:phpmyfaq, wildcard version covering all releases through 4.1.10). Recent 4.x releases ship an optional MCP (Model Context Protocol) server component that exposes tools such as faq_search to MCP clients; the tool's executor, FaqSearchToolExecutor (phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Service/McpServer/FaqSearchToolExecutor.php, lines 56-102), delegates to Search::searchDatabase() (phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Search.php, lines 137-194). That search routine builds and executes FAQ queries without injecting the user- or group-based visibility predicates that the normal web-facing search path uses, so every active FAQ row is returned regardless of its configured user/group restrictions. The root cause is CWE-862 Missing Authorization: an authorization decision that exists elsewhere in the application is simply absent from this code path, leaving the permission model enforced only at the presentation/controller layer rather than in the data-access layer. Impact is confined to information disclosure (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N; vendor-published CVSS 4.0 base score 4.8) since the tool only performs read queries.

Know when Phpmyfaq gets its next vulnerability

  • Watch products and get an email when something new is published
  • Check this CVE against your own stack and servers
  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

No credit card · 7-day full trial

Severity by source

Vendor (VulnCheck) PRIMARY 4.8 MEDIUM
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
vuln.today AI 3.3 LOW

Requires an authenticated low-privilege MCP connection (PR:L) over a local MCP channel (AV:L), low complexity, and leaks only restricted FAQ text (C:L) with no integrity or availability impact.

3.1 AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
4.0 AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (VulnCheck).

CVSS VectorVendor: VulnCheck

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

DescriptionCVE.org

phpMyFAQ through 4.1.10 contains a missing authorization vulnerability in the MCP server faq_search tool that allows MCP clients to read restricted FAQs because Search::searchDatabase() never applies user or group permission checks. Attackers connected to the phpmyfaq:mcp:server can issue search queries to retrieve the full question and answer text of active FAQs restricted to specific users or groups.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.1%
Top 99% exploitable
Prevalence
Low
niche open-source FAQ app; MCP server is an optional, newly-added feature
Social Media
1
Sightings
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

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 MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.1%
Patch available No
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
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· derived
Defer
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

24
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +24
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

CVE-2025-59943 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Oct 03

Duplicate-email registration handling in phpMyFAQ 4.0.7 through 4.0.13 (and 4.0-nightly-2025-10-03 and earlier) lets una

CVE-2023-5865 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Oct 31

Insufficient Session Expiration in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.2.2. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8

CVE-2023-1886 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Apr 05

Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.1.12. Rated critical severity

CVE-2023-1753 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Mar 31

Weak Password Requirements in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.1.12. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), t

CVE-2022-3754 CRITICAL POC
9.8 Oct 29

Weak Password Requirements in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.1.8. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), th

CVE-2026-46364 CRITICAL POC
9.3 May 15

Unauthenticated SQL injection in phpMyFAQ before 4.1.2 allows remote attackers to extract credentials, admin tokens, and

CVE-2017-15730 HIGH POC
8.8 Oct 22

In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in admin/stat.ratings.php. Rated high severity (CVS

CVE-2017-15808 HIGH POC
8.8 Oct 23

In phpMyFaq before 2.9.9, there is CSRF in admin/ajax.config.php. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is

CVE-2017-15735 HIGH POC
8.8 Oct 22

In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) for modifying a glossary. Rated high severity (CVSS

CVE-2017-15734 HIGH POC
8.8 Oct 22

In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in admin/stat.main.php. Rated high severity (CVSS 8

CVE-2024-28107 HIGH POC
8.8 Mar 25

phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application for PHP 8.1+ and MySQL, PostgreSQL and other databases. Rated high severi

CVE-2024-27299 HIGH POC
8.8 Mar 25

phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application for PHP 8.1+ and MySQL, PostgreSQL and other databases. Rated high severi

This site uses cookies essential for authentication and security. No tracking or analytics cookies are used. Privacy Policy