CVE-2017-15729 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) for adding a glossary.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15729 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.9.9. This vulnerability specifically targets the glossary management functionality within the phpMyFAQ application, which is a widely used open-source web-based knowledge base management system. The issue arises from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms when processing requests to add new glossary entries, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this platform for database management and knowledge sharing.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to implement adequate anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms during the glossary addition process. When a user navigates to the glossary management section and submits a request to add a new term, the phpMyFAQ application does not verify that the request originates from a legitimate authenticated session. This omission allows an attacker to craft malicious web pages or emails that, when clicked by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to add unauthorized glossary entries to the database. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the application layer, exploiting the trust relationship between the user's browser and the phpMyFAQ application without proper validation of request authenticity.
The operational impact of this CSRF vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it can potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of knowledge base content. Attackers could leverage this flaw to inject malicious terms, create misleading definitions, or even establish backdoors through carefully crafted glossary entries that might be used for further attacks. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users of the phpMyFAQ application, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have administrative privileges. Organizations using phpMyFAQ for sensitive data management or those with extensive glossary content could face significant reputational damage and operational disruption if exploited successfully.
Organizations should immediately update their phpMyFAQ installations to version 2.9.9 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms. The implementation of anti-CSRF tokens should be enforced for all state-changing operations within the application, particularly those involving data creation, modification, or deletion. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their phpMyFAQ configurations to ensure that all user sessions are properly validated and that no other similar vulnerabilities exist within the application's functionality. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious activity patterns can provide additional layers of defense against potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards.