# CVE-2024-22208: phpMyFAQ sharing FAQ functionality can easily be abused for phishing purposes

> Attackers can bypass email limits to send mass phishing emails via the FAQ sharing feature, damaging server reputation and enabling spam campaigns.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 15 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9hhf-xmcw-r3xg

## What is CVE-2024-22208?

CVE-2024-22208 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 5 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

phpMyFAQ is an Open Source FAQ web application for PHP 8.1+ and MySQL, PostgreSQL and other databases. The 'sharing FAQ' functionality allows any unauthenticated actor to misuse the phpMyFAQ application to send arbitrary emails to a large range of targets. The phpMyFAQ application has a functionality where anyone can share a FAQ item to others. The front-end of this functionality allows any phpMyFAQ articles to be shared with 5 email addresses. Any unauthenticated actor can perform this action. There is a CAPTCHA in place, however the amount of people you email with a single request is not limited to 5 by the backend. An attacker can thus solve a single CAPTCHA and send thousands of emails at once. An attacker can utilize the target application's email server to send phishing messages. This can get the server on a blacklist, causing all emails to end up in spam. It can also lead to reputation damages. This issue has been patched in version 3.2.5.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-22208?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions | 3.2.5 |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions | 3.2.5 |

Products: Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-22208?

Upgrade phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq to 3.2.5 or later.

## Is CVE-2024-22208 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-22208 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-2024-22208 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-22208 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 5 Feb 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-22208 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 3.2.5
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 3.2.5

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-2024-22208/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22208/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-22208
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22208
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-22208

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22208/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.