CVE-2014-6049 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyFAQ before 2.8.13 allows remote authenticated users with admin privileges to bypass authorization via a crafted instance ID parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6049 affects phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.8.13 and represents a critical authorization bypass flaw that specifically targets administrative users with valid credentials. This vulnerability resides within the application's handling of instance ID parameters, which are used to manage multiple phpMyFAQ installations within a single environment. The flaw allows authenticated administrators to manipulate the instance ID parameter in a way that circumvents the intended access controls, potentially granting them privileges beyond their assigned scope. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic improper access control weakness that can be exploited through parameter manipulation, making it particularly dangerous in multi-tenant or shared hosting environments where multiple instances of phpMyFAQ might be deployed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and parameter handling within the phpMyFAQ authorization system. When administrators interact with the application's administrative interface, the system processes instance ID parameters to determine which specific installation instance they should access. However, the flawed validation logic fails to properly sanitize or verify the instance ID parameter, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that manipulate the parameter value. This creates a situation where an authenticated admin user can effectively bypass the normal instance isolation mechanisms, potentially accessing data or performing administrative actions on other instances within the same deployment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing with social engineering.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion across multiple phpMyFAQ instances. An attacker with admin privileges can exploit this flaw to gain access to sensitive information stored in other instances, potentially compromising multiple databases or administrative interfaces within the same hosting environment. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with valid administrative credentials can exploit it without needing additional attack vectors. This makes it a significant threat in environments where administrative accounts might be compromised through credential theft or social engineering attacks, as the attacker could then leverage this vulnerability to expand their access across multiple instances. The impact is further amplified in cloud hosting environments or shared hosting platforms where multiple phpMyFAQ installations might be running on the same server infrastructure, creating a potential attack surface that spans multiple customer deployments.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to phpMyFAQ version 2.8.13 or later, which includes proper input validation and parameter sanitization for instance ID handling. The fix implemented in the patched version involves strengthening the validation logic to ensure that instance ID parameters are properly verified against allowed values and that unauthorized access attempts are properly rejected. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to isolate phpMyFAQ instances, monitoring for unusual parameter manipulation patterns in access logs, and ensuring that administrative accounts are protected through multi-factor authentication. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of their phpMyFAQ deployments to identify any other potential authorization bypass vulnerabilities and implement proper input validation across all parameter handling mechanisms. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper access control implementation and demonstrates how seemingly simple parameter handling can create significant security risks when not properly validated against expected input ranges and access boundaries.