CVE-2017-15735 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
In phpMyFAQ before 2.9.9, there is Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) for modifying a glossary.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15735 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.9.9. This vulnerability specifically targets the glossary modification functionality within the phpMyFAQ administration interface, creating a significant security risk for database administrators who rely on this open-source tool for managing MySQL databases through web interfaces. The flaw resides in the application's failure to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from external domains, allowing malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship between the web application and its authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms when processing glossary modification requests. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can trigger unintended actions within the phpMyFAQ application without the user's knowledge or consent. This occurs because the application does not verify that requests to modify glossary entries originate from legitimate administrative interfaces rather than forged requests sent from third-party domains. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 related to valid accounts and credential access through web application exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, as it allows attackers to potentially alter glossary entries that may contain critical technical terminology, definitions, or documentation that administrators rely upon for database management tasks. This could lead to confusion among users, misinterpretation of database structures, or even facilitate more sophisticated attacks by introducing misleading information into the system. The vulnerability affects any administrator who has access to the glossary modification features, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have administrative privileges. Attackers could leverage this flaw to introduce false documentation, corrupt existing glossary entries, or potentially manipulate the application's behavior through carefully crafted modifications.
Organizations using affected versions of phpMyFAQ should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to version 2.9.9 or later, which includes proper CSRF token validation mechanisms. Additional protective measures involve implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict cross-origin requests, enabling proper session management controls, and conducting regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing robust anti-CSRF token generation and validation for all administrative functions, ensuring that each request contains a unique token that cannot be forged by external parties. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability could serve as an initial foothold for more comprehensive attacks against the database management infrastructure.