Summary
phpMyFAQ Generates an Error Message Containing Sensitive Information if database server is not available
Exposure of database (ie postgreSQL) server's credential when connection to DB fails.
Details
Exposed database credentials upon misconfig/DoS @ permalink: https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/blob/main/phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/Setup/Installer.php#L694
PoC
When postgreSQL server is unreachable, an error would be thrown exposing the credentials of the database. For instance, when "http://:8080/setup/index.php" is hit when the database instance/server is down, then credentials are exposed, for instance:
( ! ) Warning: pg_connect(): Unable to connect to PostgreSQL server: connection to server at "127.0.0.1", port 5432 failed: Connection refused Is the server running on that host and accepting TCP/IP connections? in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0404 453880 {main}( ) .../index.php:0
2 1.1341 610016 phpMyFAQ\Setup\Installer->startInstall( $setup = ??? ) .../index.php:471
3 1.2113 611544 phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql->connect( $host = '127.0.0.1', $user = 'cvecve', $password = '<redacted>', $database = 'cvecve', $port = 5432 ) .../Installer.php:694
4 1.2113 611864 pg_connect( $connection_string = 'host=127.0.0.1 port=5432 dbname=cvecve user=cvecve password=<redacted>' ) .../Pgsql.php:78
( ! ) Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot assign false to property phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql::$conn of type ?PgSql\Connection in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
( ! ) TypeError: Cannot assign false to property phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql::$conn of type ?PgSql\Connection in /var/www/html/src/phpMyFAQ/Database/Pgsql.php on line 78
Call Stack
# Time Memory Function Location
1 0.0404 453880 {main}( ) .../index.php:0
2 1.1341 610016 phpMyFAQ\Setup\Installer->startInstall( $setup = ??? ) .../index.php:471
3 1.2113 611544 phpMyFAQ\Database\Pgsql->connect( $host = '127.0.0.1', $user = 'cvecve', $password = '<redacted>', $database = 'cvecve', $port = 5432 ) .../Installer.php:694
A way to force this would be to perform a denial of service on the database instance/server. When the db connection is refused, the credentials would show. The remote attacker can then use that to gain full control on the database.
Impact
This vulnerability exposes the credentials of the database and grants a remote attacker full control over the database.
First notified Snyk on 16 Jan 2024.
CVE-2024-54141 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. 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 (4.0.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-54141? CVE-2024-54141 is a high-severity security vulnerability in thorsten/phpmyfaq (composer), affecting versions < 4.0.0. It is fixed in 4.0.0.
- How severe is CVE-2024-54141? CVE-2024-54141 has a CVSS score of 8.6 (High). 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.
- Which versions of thorsten/phpmyfaq are affected by CVE-2024-54141? thorsten/phpmyfaq (composer) versions < 4.0.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-54141? Yes. CVE-2024-54141 is fixed in 4.0.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-54141 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-54141 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
- What actually determines whether CVE-2024-54141 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.
- How do I fix CVE-2024-54141? Upgrade
thorsten/phpmyfaqto 4.0.0 or later.