# CVE-2023-53929: phpMyFAQ 3.1.12 CSV Injection via User Profile Export

> Authenticated users can inject malicious formulas into profile names, leading to code execution when administrators export user data as CSV.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x2v3-9p22-w3x6

## What is CVE-2023-53929?

CVE-2023-53929 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 17 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

phpMyFAQ 3.1.12 contains a CSV injection vulnerability that allows authenticated users to inject malicious formulas into their profile names. Attackers can modify their user profile name with a payload like 'calc|a!z|' to trigger code execution when an administrator exports user data as a CSV file.

Weakness: CWE-1236 (Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53929?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq and thorsten/phpmyfaq. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions to 3.1.12 | None |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions to 3.1.12 | None |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions to 3.1.12 | None |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions to 3.1.12 | None |

Products: Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53929?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-53929 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-53929 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53929 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq

- [CVE-2023-0310](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-0310/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Stored in thorsten/phpmyfaq (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-4407](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4407/): Cross-site Scripting (XSS) - Reflected in thorsten/phpmyfaq (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-11187](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11187/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-76213](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76213/): phpMyFAQ before 4.1.7 2FA Brute-Force via Session-Scoped Throttle (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2026-76214](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-76214/): phpMyFAQ before 4.1.7 WebAuthn Replay Attack via Challenge (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53929 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53929 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 17 Dec 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53929 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions up to 3.1.12; no fix listed
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions up to 3.1.12; no fix listed
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions up to 3.1.12; no fix listed
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions up to 3.1.12; no fix listed

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53929/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53929/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53929
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53929
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53929

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53929/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.