CVE-2026-24420
phpMyFAQ: Attachment download allowed without dlattachment right (broken access control)
phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below allow an authenticated user without the dlattachment permission to download FAQ attachments due to a incomprehensive permissions check. The presence of a right key is improperly validated as proof of authorization in attachment.php. Additionally, the group and user permission logic contains a flawed conditional expression that may allow unauthorized access. This issue has been fixed in version
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.5
phpMyFAQ: Attachment download allowed without dlattachment right (broken access control)
phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below allow an authenticated user without the dlattachment permission to download FAQ attachments due to a incomprehensive permissions check. The presence of a right key is improperly validated as proof of authorization in attachment.php. Additionally, the group and user permission logic contains a flawed conditional expression that may allow unauthorized access. This issue has been fixed in version
- Record
CVE-2026-24420- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-4259
6.5
phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below allow an authenticated user without the dlattachment permission to download FAQ attachments due to a incomprehensive permissions check. The presence of a right key is improperly validated as proof of authorization in attachment.php. Additionally, the group and user permission logic contains a flawed conditional expression that may allow unauthorized access. This issue has been fixed in version
- Record
EUVD-2026-4259- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7p9h-m7m8-vhhv
6.5
phpMyFAQ: Attachment download allowed without dlattachment right (broken access control)
Summary
A logged‑in user without the dlattachment right can download FAQ attachments. This is due to a permissive permission check in attachment.php that treats the mere presence of a right key as authorization and a flawed group/user logic expression.
Details
In attachment.php, the access decision uses:
($groupPermission || ($groupPermission && $userPermission)) && isset($permission['dlattachment'])
isset() returns true even when the right value is false, and the logic simplifies to $groupPermission for some permission modes. As a result, a user without dlattachment can still access the attachment.
PoC
Precondition: A non‑admin user exists; an attachment is associated to a FAQ record; records.allowDownloadsForGuests = false. Log in as a non‑admin user without dlattachment. Request the attachment download endpoint.
curl -c /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"username":"tester","password":"Test1234!"}' \
http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/v3.0/login
curl -i -b /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
"http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=attachment&id=1"
Impact
Unauthorized users can download attachments (confidentiality breach). Depending on content, this may expose sensitive documents.
- Record
GHSA-7p9h-m7m8-vhhv- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.5
phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below allow an authenticated user without the dlattachment permission to download FAQ attachments due to a incomprehensive permissions check. The presence of a right key is improperly validated as proof of authorization in attachment.php. Additionally, the group and user permission logic contains a flawed conditional expression that may allow unauthorized access. This issue has been fixed in version
- Record
CVE-2026-24420- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.5
phpMyFAQ: Attachment download allowed without dlattachment right (broken access control)
phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below allow an authenticated user without the dlattachment permission to download FAQ attachments due to a incomprehensive permissions check. The presence of a right key is improperly validated as proof of authorization in attachment.php. Additionally, the group and user permission logic contains a flawed conditional expression that may allow unauthorized access. This issue has been fixed in version
- Record
CVE-2026-24420- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7p9h-m7m8-vhhv
6.5
phpMyFAQ: Attachment download allowed without dlattachment right (broken access control)
Summary
A logged‑in user without the dlattachment right can download FAQ attachments. This is due to a permissive permission check in attachment.php that treats the mere presence of a right key as authorization and a flawed group/user logic expression.
Details
In attachment.php, the access decision uses:
($groupPermission || ($groupPermission && $userPermission)) && isset($permission['dlattachment'])
isset() returns true even when the right value is false, and the logic simplifies to $groupPermission for some permission modes. As a result, a user without dlattachment can still access the attachment.
PoC
Precondition: A non‑admin user exists; an attachment is associated to a FAQ record; records.allowDownloadsForGuests = false. Log in as a non‑admin user without dlattachment. Request the attachment download endpoint.
curl -c /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"username":"tester","password":"Test1234!"}' \
http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/api/v3.0/login
curl -i -b /tmp/pmf_api_cookies.txt \
"http://192.168.40.16/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=attachment&id=1"
Impact
Unauthorized users can download attachments (confidentiality breach). Depending on content, this may expose sensitive documents.
- Record
GHSA-7p9h-m7m8-vhhv- CVSS 3.1
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-284
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
phpmyfaq/phpmyfaqPackagist |
through 4.0.16 | 4.0.17 |
thorsten/phpmyfaqPackagist |
through 4.0.16 | 4.0.17 |
phpmyfaq/phpmyfaqPackagist |
before 4.0.17, plus listed versions 2.10.0-alpha2.8.02.8.0-RC2.8.0-RC22.8.0-RC3 Show 45 moreShow less2.8.0-RC42.8.0-alpha22.8.0-alpha32.8.0-beta2.8.0-beta22.8.0-beta32.8.12.8.102.8.112.8.122.8.132.8.142.8.152.8.162.8.172.8.182.8.192.8.22.8.202.8.212.8.222.8.232.8.242.8.252.8.262.8.272.8.282.8.292.8.32.8.42.8.52.8.62.8.72.8.82.8.92.9.02.9.0-alpha2.9.0-alpha22.9.0-alpha32.9.0-alpha42.9.0-beta2.9.0-beta22.9.0-rc2.9.0-rc22.9.0-rc3 |
4.0.17 |
thorsten/phpmyfaqPackagist |
before 4.0.17, plus listed versions 2.10.0-alpha2.8.02.8.0-RC2.8.0-RC22.8.0-RC3 Show 45 moreShow less2.8.0-RC42.8.0-alpha22.8.0-alpha32.8.0-beta2.8.0-beta22.8.0-beta32.8.12.8.102.8.112.8.122.8.132.8.142.8.152.8.162.8.172.8.182.8.192.8.22.8.202.8.212.8.222.8.232.8.242.8.252.8.262.8.272.8.282.8.292.8.32.8.42.8.52.8.62.8.72.8.82.8.92.9.02.9.0-alpha2.9.0-alpha22.9.0-alpha32.9.0-alpha42.9.0-beta2.9.0-beta22.9.0-rc2.9.0-rc22.9.0-rc3 |
4.0.17 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-24420 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Phpmyfaq, published January 23, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.46%, the 39th percentile. Fixed in phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq 4.0.17.
References
Left out here: 210 versions. The JSON record has them.