CVE-2018-16650 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyFAQ before 2.9.11 allows CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16650 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting phpMyFAQ versions prior to 2.9.11. This vulnerability resides within the web-based database administration interface that allows users to manage mysql databases through a browser-based interface. The flaw enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent, potentially leading to complete compromise of the affected system.
The technical nature of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper validation mechanisms within the phpMyFAQ application's request processing flow. When users navigate to specific administrative pages or perform actions such as modifying user accounts, changing database configurations, or executing administrative commands, the application fails to implement anti-CSRF tokens or other sufficient protection mechanisms. This allows malicious actors to craft specially crafted web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the phpMyFAQ application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the user and the application, making it difficult for users to detect malicious activity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass potential system compromise and data integrity breaches. An attacker could exploit this flaw to add new administrative users, modify existing user privileges, delete critical database entries, or even execute arbitrary code if the application permits such operations. The consequences are particularly severe in environments where phpMyFAQ is used to manage sensitive database information, as the vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to confidential data, system disruption, or complete service compromise. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction, as simply visiting a malicious webpage could trigger the unauthorized actions, making it particularly dangerous in phishing scenarios or when users browse untrusted websites.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, as attackers could establish backdoor access through user account modifications or configuration changes. The lack of proper input validation and request verification mechanisms creates a pathway for attackers to escalate their privileges within the application environment. Organizations using vulnerable versions of phpMyFAQ should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to version 2.9.11 or later, implementing proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms, and conducting thorough security assessments of their database administration interfaces. Additionally, network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing robust security controls in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive administrative functions.