CVE-2017-15809 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
In phpMyFaq before 2.9.9, there is XSS in admin/tags.main.php via a crafted tag.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2017-15809 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.9.9, specifically within the admin/tags.main.php component. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle malicious user-supplied data. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79 as an Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The flaw exists in the administrative interface where tags are managed, making it particularly dangerous as it targets privileged users who have access to sensitive system functions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious tag name containing XSS payload that gets processed and rendered without proper sanitization. When administrators view the tags management interface, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where user-provided content is directly incorporated into HTML output without appropriate encoding or filtering. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 which covers data from information repositories, specifically targeting administrative interfaces that handle user-generated content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it compromises the integrity of the administrative environment. Attackers can leverage this weakness to escalate privileges, modify system configurations, or gain persistent access to the phpMyFAQ installation. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system as it provides a potential entry point for more sophisticated attacks. Given that phpMyFAQ is commonly used for database management and content administration, the compromise of its administrative interface can lead to widespread data exposure and system manipulation. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security practices in output encoding and input validation that violates industry standards for secure web application development.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15809 should prioritize immediate patching to phpMyFAQ version 2.9.9 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that filters or encodes special characters in tag names, particularly those that could be used in script injection attempts. The solution must incorporate proper HTML entity encoding when displaying user-generated content in administrative interfaces, following the principle of least privilege and defense in depth. Security teams should also conduct regular security assessments of web applications to identify similar input validation vulnerabilities, implementing automated scanning tools and manual code reviews to prevent such issues. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit administrative access and reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing proper security controls throughout the application development lifecycle to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.