GIVE YOUR AGENT THE EVIDENCE

Set up in your agent.

One prompt to get started. Paste it into your coding agent to connect cve.new through MCP and bring vulnerability context into your workflow.

Your agent needs remote MCP support and access to https://cve.new/mcp.

Read the setup guide

GIVE YOUR AGENT THE EVIDENCE

Investigate in your agent.

Turn this advisory into a focused investigation. Ask your agent to check your project’s versions, explain the evidence, and suggest a compatible fix.

Your agent needs remote MCP support and access to https://cve.new/mcp.

Read the setup guide

cve.new
GHSA-9cg9-4h4f-j6fghigh7.5

phpMyFAQ has unauthenticated config backup download via /api/setup/backup

Check your stack

The advisory, in context

Summary

An unauthenticated remote attacker can trigger generation of a configuration backup ZIP via POST /api/setup/backup and then download the generated ZIP from a web-accessible location. The ZIP contains sensitive configuration files (e.g., database.php with database credentials), leading to high-impact information disclosure and potential follow-on compromise.

Details

The endpoint /api/setup/backup is reachable via default rewrite rules and does not enforce authentication/authorization or API token verification. When called with any non-empty body (used as an “installed version” string), the server creates a ZIP archive inside the configuration directory and returns a direct URL to the generated ZIP file.

Relevant code paths:

  • Rewrite rule exposing the endpoint:
    • phpmyfaq/.htaccess: RewriteRule ^api/setup/(check|backup|update-database) api/index.php [L,QSA]
  • Controller implementation:
    • phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Controller/Api/SetupController.php → backup()
      • No call to hasValidToken(), userIsAuthenticated(), or any permission check
  • Backup creation:
    • phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Setup/Update.php → createConfigBackup()
      • Writes the ZIP into the config directory and returns a public URL under content/core/config/

PoC

Replace BASE_URL with your instance URL.

  1. Trigger config backup generation without authentication:
BASE_URL="http://localhost"
curl -i -X POST "${BASE_URL}/api/setup/backup" \
  -H "Content-Type: text/plain" \
  --data "4.1.0-RC"

Expected result: 200 OK with JSON containing backupFile.

  1. Copy the backupFile URL from the JSON response and download it (still without authentication):
# Example (replace with the exact URL returned in step 1)
curl -i "http://localhost/content/core/config/phpmyfaq-config-backup.YYYY-MM-DD.zip" -o phpmyfaq-config-backup.zip
  1. Verify sensitive content exists in the ZIP:
unzip -l phpmyfaq-config-backup.zip
unzip -p phpmyfaq-config-backup.zip database.php

Observed: database.php is included and contains DB host/user/password.

Impact

  • Vulnerability class: Missing authentication/authorization for a sensitive function + sensitive information exposure.
  • Who is impacted: Any internet-exposed phpMyFAQ installation where the default .htaccess rewrite rules are active and the endpoint is reachable.
  • Security impact: Disclosure of configuration secrets (DB credentials, integration config, etc.), enabling follow-on attacks such as database takeover and data exfiltration.

Affected packages

Start with the recorded fix for your release branch. Check your installed version and test compatibility before upgrading. Fixing this advisory does not rule out other vulnerabilities in the release.

Ecosystem versions

Earlier releases before 4.0.16

Fixed in 4.0.16

154 explicitly affected versions

2.10.0-alpha, 2.8.0, 2.8.0-RC, 2.8.0-RC2, 2.8.0-RC3, 2.8.0-RC4, 2.8.0-alpha2, 2.8.0-alpha3, 2.8.0-beta, 2.8.0-beta2, 2.8.0-beta3, 2.8.1, 2.8.10, 2.8.11, 2.8.12, 2.8.13, 2.8.14, 2.8.15, 2.8.16, 2.8.17, 2.8.18, 2.8.19, 2.8.2, 2.8.20, 2.8.21, 2.8.22, 2.8.23, 2.8.24, 2.8.25, 2.8.26, 2.8.27, 2.8.28, 2.8.29, 2.8.3, 2.8.4, 2.8.5, 2.8.6, 2.8.7, 2.8.8, 2.8.9, 2.9.0, 2.9.0-alpha, 2.9.0-alpha2, 2.9.0-alpha3, 2.9.0-alpha4, 2.9.0-beta, 2.9.0-beta2, 2.9.0-rc, 2.9.0-rc2, 2.9.0-rc3, 2.9.0-rc4, 2.9.1, 2.9.10, 2.9.11, 2.9.12, 2.9.13, 2.9.2, 2.9.3, 2.9.4, 2.9.5, 2.9.6, 2.9.7, 2.9.8, 2.9.9, 3.0.0, 3.0.0-RC, 3.0.0-RC.2, 3.0.0-alpha, 3.0.0-alpha.2, 3.0.0-alpha.3, 3.0.0-alpha.4, 3.0.0-beta, 3.0.0-beta.2, 3.0.0-beta.3, 3.0.1, 3.0.10, 3.0.11, 3.0.12, 3.0.2, 3.0.3, 3.0.4, 3.0.5, 3.0.6, 3.0.7, 3.0.8, 3.0.9, 3.1.0, 3.1.0-RC, 3.1.0-alpha, 3.1.0-alpha.2, 3.1.0-alpha.3, 3.1.0-beta, 3.1.1, 3.1.10, 3.1.11, 3.1.12, 3.1.13, 3.1.14, 3.1.15, 3.1.16, 3.1.17, 3.1.18, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4, 3.1.5, 3.1.6, 3.1.7, 3.1.8, 3.1.9, 3.2.0, 3.2.0-RC, 3.2.0-RC.2, 3.2.0-RC.4, 3.2.0-alpha, 3.2.0-beta, 3.2.0-beta.2, 3.2.1, 3.2.10, 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5, 3.2.6, 3.2.7, 3.2.8, 3.2.9, 4.0.0, 4.0.0-RC, 4.0.0-RC.2, 4.0.0-RC.3, 4.0.0-RC.4, 4.0.0-RC.5, 4.0.0-alpha, 4.0.0-alpha.2, 4.0.0-alpha.3, 4.0.0-alpha.4, 4.0.0-beta, 4.0.0-beta.2, 4.0.1, 4.0.10, 4.0.11, 4.0.12, 4.0.13, 4.0.14, 4.0.15, 4.0.2, 4.0.3, 4.0.4, 4.0.5, 4.0.6, 4.0.7, 4.0.8, 4.0.9

View affected-version evidence
{
  "ranges": [
    {
      "events": [
        {
          "introduced": "0"
        },
        {
          "fixed": "4.0.16"
        }
      ],
      "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
    }
  ],
  "versions": [
    "2.10.0-alpha",
    "2.8.0",
    "2.8.0-RC",
    "2.8.0-RC2",
    "2.8.0-RC3",
    "2.8.0-RC4",
    "2.8.0-alpha2",
    "2.8.0-alpha3",
    "2.8.0-beta",
    "2.8.0-beta2",
    "2.8.0-beta3",
    "2.8.1",
    "2.8.10",
    "2.8.11",
    "2.8.12",
    "2.8.13",
    "2.8.14",
    "2.8.15",
    "2.8.16",
    "2.8.17",
    "2.8.18",
    "2.8.19",
    "2.8.2",
    "2.8.20",
    "2.8.21",
    "2.8.22",
    "2.8.23",
    "2.8.24",
    "2.8.25",
    "2.8.26",
    "2.8.27",
    "2.8.28",
    "2.8.29",
    "2.8.3",
    "2.8.4",
    "2.8.5",
    "2.8.6",
    "2.8.7",
    "2.8.8",
    "2.8.9",
    "2.9.0",
    "2.9.0-alpha",
    "2.9.0-alpha2",
    "2.9.0-alpha3",
    "2.9.0-alpha4",
    "2.9.0-beta",
    "2.9.0-beta2",
    "2.9.0-rc",
    "2.9.0-rc2",
    "2.9.0-rc3",
    "2.9.0-rc4",
    "2.9.1",
    "2.9.10",
    "2.9.11",
    "2.9.12",
    "2.9.13",
    "2.9.2",
    "2.9.3",
    "2.9.4",
    "2.9.5",
    "2.9.6",
    "2.9.7",
    "2.9.8",
    "2.9.9",
    "3.0.0",
    "3.0.0-RC",
    "3.0.0-RC.2",
    "3.0.0-alpha",
    "3.0.0-alpha.2",
    "3.0.0-alpha.3",
    "3.0.0-alpha.4",
    "3.0.0-beta",
    "3.0.0-beta.2",
    "3.0.0-beta.3",
    "3.0.1",
    "3.0.10",
    "3.0.11",
    "3.0.12",
    "3.0.2",
    "3.0.3",
    "3.0.4",
    "3.0.5",
    "3.0.6",
    "3.0.7",
    "3.0.8",
    "3.0.9",
    "3.1.0",
    "3.1.0-RC",
    "3.1.0-alpha",
    "3.1.0-alpha.2",
    "3.1.0-alpha.3",
    "3.1.0-beta",
    "3.1.1",
    "3.1.10",
    "3.1.11",
    "3.1.12",
    "3.1.13",
    "3.1.14",
    "3.1.15",
    "3.1.16",
    "3.1.17",
    "3.1.18",
    "3.1.2",
    "3.1.3",
    "3.1.4",
    "3.1.5",
    "3.1.6",
    "3.1.7",
    "3.1.8",
    "3.1.9",
    "3.2.0",
    "3.2.0-RC",
    "3.2.0-RC.2",
    "3.2.0-RC.4",
    "3.2.0-alpha",
    "3.2.0-beta",
    "3.2.0-beta.2",
    "3.2.1",
    "3.2.10",
    "3.2.2",
    "3.2.3",
    "3.2.4",
    "3.2.5",
    "3.2.6",
    "3.2.7",
    "3.2.8",
    "3.2.9",
    "4.0.0",
    "4.0.0-RC",
    "4.0.0-RC.2",
    "4.0.0-RC.3",
    "4.0.0-RC.4",
    "4.0.0-RC.5",
    "4.0.0-alpha",
    "4.0.0-alpha.2",
    "4.0.0-alpha.3",
    "4.0.0-alpha.4",
    "4.0.0-beta",
    "4.0.0-beta.2",
    "4.0.1",
    "4.0.10",
    "4.0.11",
    "4.0.12",
    "4.0.13",
    "4.0.14",
    "4.0.15",
    "4.0.2",
    "4.0.3",
    "4.0.4",
    "4.0.5",
    "4.0.6",
    "4.0.7",
    "4.0.8",
    "4.0.9"
  ]
}
Ecosystem versions

From 4.1.0-alpha through 4.1.0-beta.2 (inclusive)

No fix recorded for this interval.

5 explicitly affected versions

4.1.0-alpha, 4.1.0-alpha.2, 4.1.0-alpha.3, 4.1.0-beta, 4.1.0-beta.2

View affected-version evidence
{
  "ranges": [
    {
      "events": [
        {
          "introduced": "4.1.0-alpha"
        },
        {
          "last_affected": "4.1.0-beta.2"
        }
      ],
      "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
    }
  ],
  "versions": [
    "4.1.0-alpha",
    "4.1.0-alpha.2",
    "4.1.0-alpha.3",
    "4.1.0-beta",
    "4.1.0-beta.2"
  ]
}

References