CVE-2026-116182 in phpMyFAQ
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2026
phpMyFAQ before 4.1.10 contains a server-side request forgery vulnerability in the PDF export feature that fetches external images referenced in FAQ answers. Attackers who can influence FAQ content can embed image URLs pointing to loopback or internal services, causing the server to request them and embed responses in generated PDFs.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the PDF generation module of phpMyFAQ versions prior to 4.1.10, specifically affecting how external resources are processed during document creation. This vulnerability manifests as a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) issue that arises when the application attempts to fetch and embed images referenced in FAQ answers into exported PDF files. The core technical deficiency lies in the insufficient validation of URLs provided by users or content editors, allowing for the injection of maliciously crafted links pointing toward internal network resources rather than public internet destinations.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability exploits the server's ability to make outbound HTTP requests on behalf of the user without adequate restrictions on destination addresses. When an attacker with write access to FAQ entries embeds image URLs targeting loopback interfaces or private IP ranges, the backend service processes these links and initiates connections to internal services. The responses from these internal endpoints are then captured and embedded into the generated PDF document. This mechanism effectively turns the web application into a proxy for accessing restricted network segments that would otherwise be inaccessible directly from external networks due to firewall rules or network segmentation policies.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly in environments where phpMyFAQ serves as a central knowledge base containing sensitive information. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with content editing privileges to probe the internal network topology and access services running on localhost or within private subnets. This can lead to unauthorized data exfiltration from internal APIs, database management interfaces, or administrative panels that are not exposed to the public internet but are reachable via HTTP requests originating from the vulnerable server. The ability to retrieve responses means attackers can potentially extract configuration details, authentication tokens, or other sensitive payloads hosted on these internal services.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-918, which classifies Server-Side Request Forgery flaws where a web application fetches a remote resource without validating the user-supplied URL. Furthermore, it maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1571, specifically the Proxy protocol subcategory, as the attacker leverages the vulnerable application to relay requests and bypass network access controls. The attack vector is classified under CWE-434 for Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type if the fetched content includes executable payloads, though in this context, it primarily serves reconnaissance and data theft purposes through T1078 Valid Accounts or T1552 Unsecured Credentials depending on what internal services are targeted.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching to version 4.1.10 or later where the issue has been addressed by developers implementing stricter URL validation logic. In addition to upgrading, administrators should implement network-level controls such as egress filtering to restrict outbound connections from the web server to only known and necessary external domains. Utilizing a reverse proxy with strict allow-listing for outgoing requests can further mitigate SSRF risks. Input validation on the frontend and backend is critical, ensuring that image URLs are checked against a whitelist of allowed domains or protocols before being processed by the PDF generation engine. Regular security audits focusing on resource fetching mechanisms in content management systems will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from persisting in production environments.