CVE-2026-24421

Authenticated non‑admin users can call /api/setup/backup and trigger a configuration backup. The endpoint only checks authentication, not authorization, and returns a link to the generated ZIP.

Details

SetupController.php uses userIsAuthenticated() but does not verify that the requester has configuration/admin permissions. This allows any logged‑in user to create a sensitive backup and retrieve its path.

PoC

Precondition: API enabled, any authenticated non‑admin user.

• Log in as a non‑admin user.
• Call backup endpoint.

curl -c /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"username":"tester","password":"Test1234!"}' \
  http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/v3.0/login

curl -i -b /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
  -X POST --data '4.0.16' \
  http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/setup/backup

Low‑privileged users can generate sensitive backups. If the ZIP is web‑accessible (server misconfiguration), this can lead to secret exposure.

The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation. Typical impact: unauthorized access to restricted functionality or data.

CVE-2026-24421 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (4.0.17); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2026-24421? CVE-2026-24421 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (composer), affecting versions <= 4.0.16. It is fixed in 4.0.17. The application does not perform an authorization check before performing a sensitive operation.
2. How severe is CVE-2026-24421? CVE-2026-24421 has a CVSS score of 6.5 (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 packages are affected by CVE-2026-24421?
   • phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (composer) (versions <= 4.0.16)
   • thorsten/phpmyfaq (composer) (versions <= 4.0.16)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2026-24421? Yes. CVE-2026-24421 is fixed in 4.0.17. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2026-24421 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2026-24421 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-2026-24421 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-2026-24421?
   • Upgrade phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq to 4.0.17 or later
   • Upgrade thorsten/phpmyfaq to 4.0.17 or later