CVE-2017-15732 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) in admin/news.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15732 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.9.9. This vulnerability specifically affects the admin/news.php administrative endpoint, which serves as a crucial interface for managing news content within the phpMyFAQ system. The flaw allows authenticated administrators to be tricked into executing unintended actions through maliciously crafted requests, potentially compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the web application's administrative functions. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms in the news management functionality, making it susceptible to exploitation by attackers who can manipulate administrative sessions.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when an administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a compromised link while maintaining an active session with the phpMyFAQ administration interface. The vulnerable admin/news.php script fails to validate the origin of requests or implement proper CSRF token verification, allowing attackers to craft requests that appear legitimate to the server. This flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets the administrative functionality of phpMyFAQ, where users can create, modify, or delete news items. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it can enable attackers to perform unauthorized administrative actions within the phpMyFAQ system. An attacker could potentially add malicious news items, modify existing content, or even delete important information, leading to data corruption and potential information disclosure. The vulnerability also poses risks to the overall security posture of the web application, as it could serve as a stepping stone for further attacks. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires only that an administrator visits a malicious page while authenticated, making it relatively easy to exploit in real-world scenarios.
Organizations using vulnerable versions of phpMyFAQ should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of the official security patch released with version 2.9.9. The mitigation strategy should include the implementation of proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, ensuring that all administrative actions require verification of the request origin and user intent. Security teams should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as strict referer header validation and session management improvements. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1548 which covers abuse of privileges, as it allows unauthorized privilege escalation through session manipulation. The security community should also monitor for similar vulnerabilities in other content management systems and ensure comprehensive input validation across all administrative interfaces to prevent analogous CSRF exploits.