CVE-2024-27300

The email field in phpMyFAQ's user control panel page is vulnerable to stored XSS attacks due to the inadequacy of PHP's FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL function, which only validates the email format, not its content. This vulnerability enables an attacker to execute arbitrary client-side JavaScript within the context of another user's phpMyFAQ session.

Details

Despite using PHP's FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL function, the email field does not adequately validate the content of the email address. This means that malicious input, such as JavaScript code, can be accepted and stored in the database without being detected. When the stored data is retrieved and displayed on web pages, it is not properly sanitized to remove or neutralize any potentially harmful content, such as JavaScript code which leads to Stored XSS.

PoC

1. Login as any user, go to the user control panel, change email to any valid email and intercept the request.

2. Modify the request’s email parameter to the following payload: "><svg/onload=confirm('XSS')>"@x.y
   

3. Send the request and see that the XSS is triggered in the user control panel page.
   

4. Also affects any user who browse to "../admin/?action=user&user_action=listallusers"
   

This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary client side JavaScript within the context of another user's phpMyFAQ session.

Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session. Typical impact: session or credential theft, and actions taken as the user.

CVE-2024-27300 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (3.2.6); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2024-27300? CVE-2024-27300 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (composer), affecting versions = 3.2.5. It is fixed in 3.2.6. Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session.
2. How severe is CVE-2024-27300? CVE-2024-27300 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq are affected by CVE-2024-27300? phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (composer) versions = 3.2.5 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-27300? Yes. CVE-2024-27300 is fixed in 3.2.6. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2024-27300 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-27300 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-27300 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2024-27300? Upgrade phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq to 3.2.6 or later.