CVE-2023-4007 in phpmyfaq
Summary
by MITRE • 07/31/2023
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in GitHub repository thorsten/phpmyfaq prior to 3.1.16.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2026
The stored cross-site scripting vulnerability identified in the thorsten/phpmyfaq GitHub repository affects versions prior to 3.1.16 and represents a critical security flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications. This vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications, where the system fails to properly sanitize user input before rendering it on web pages. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious code is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages, making it particularly dangerous for persistent threat actors who can leverage this weakness to compromise user sessions or execute unauthorized actions.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when phpmyfaq fails to adequately sanitize or escape user-provided content before storing and subsequently displaying it within web interfaces. Attackers can exploit this by submitting malicious scripts through forms, comments, or other input fields that are then stored in the application's database. When other users view pages containing this stored content, their browsers execute the injected scripts within the context of the vulnerable application, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability is particularly severe because it affects the core functionality of phpmyfaq's content management system, where user-generated content such as FAQ entries, comments, and administrative inputs could all serve as potential attack vectors.
The operational impact of this stored XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or user experience degradation. Organizations using affected versions of phpmyfaq face significant risks including unauthorized access to sensitive information, potential compromise of administrator accounts through session hijacking attacks, and the possibility of establishing persistent backdoors within their knowledge management systems. The attack surface is broad as it affects any user input field within the application's web interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users contribute content or where administrators have elevated privileges. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage, as attackers can leverage the stored scripts to manipulate application behavior and extract sensitive data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must prioritize immediate remediation through upgrading to phpmyfaq version 3.1.16 or later, which contains proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from being executed. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side filtering, employ Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conduct regular security scanning of their web applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, administrators should review user permissions and implement least-privilege access controls to minimize the impact of potential compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten security recommendations, particularly focusing on preventing XSS through proper data validation and context-aware output escaping mechanisms that ensure user-provided content cannot be interpreted as executable code by web browsers.