CVE-2014-6046 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in phpMyFAQ before 2.8.13 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified users for requests that (1) delete active users by leveraging improper validation of CSRF tokens or that (2) delete open questions, (3) activate users, (4) publish FAQs, (5) add or delete Glossary, (6) add or delete FAQ news, or (7) add or delete comments or add votes by leveraging lack of a CSRF token.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2025
The CVE-2014-6046 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.8.13, exposing the application to unauthorized administrative actions by remote attackers. This vulnerability stems from inadequate CSRF token validation mechanisms and the absence of proper token implementation for several administrative functions within the phpMyFAQ platform. The flaw specifically affects the authentication system by allowing attackers to hijack user sessions and perform unauthorized operations without legitimate user consent or knowledge.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through multiple attack vectors that exploit the missing or improperly validated CSRF tokens in various administrative functions. Attackers can leverage this weakness to delete active user accounts by bypassing the CSRF protection mechanisms, effectively disrupting user access and potentially causing denial of service conditions. Additionally, the vulnerability permits deletion of open questions, which compromises the integrity of the knowledge base and allows attackers to manipulate content. The flaw also enables unauthorized activation of user accounts, publishing of FAQs, management of glossary entries, handling of FAQ news, and modification of comments and voting systems.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations relying on phpMyFAQ for database management and knowledge sharing. The ability to delete active users undermines user access control and can result in unauthorized account removals that may affect business operations. The capability to delete open questions and publish FAQs without proper authentication allows attackers to manipulate content and potentially inject malicious information into the system. The lack of CSRF protection for glossary management, news handling, and comment/voting functions creates additional attack surfaces that could be exploited to alter system behavior and user interactions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. This classification indicates that the flaw represents a fundamental security design issue where the application fails to validate the origin of requests, allowing attackers to forge legitimate requests that appear to come from authenticated users. The attack patterns associated with this vulnerability follow typical CSRF exploitation techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 category for credential access and T1071 for application layer protocols, where attackers manipulate authenticated sessions to execute unauthorized commands.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper CSRF token validation mechanisms across all administrative functions. Organizations should upgrade to phpMyFAQ version 2.8.13 or later, which includes the necessary CSRF protection measures. Security teams must implement comprehensive token generation and validation processes for all state-changing operations within the application. Additional protective measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, enforcing strict session management, and conducting regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while user education about suspicious activities and session monitoring can help detect potential exploitation attempts.