# CVE-2026-34974: phpMyFAQ: SVG Sanitizer Bypass via HTML Entity Encoding leads to Stored XSS and Privilege Escalation

> Attackers with edit permissions can bypass SVG sanitization to inject JavaScript, leading to stored XSS and privilege escalation to admin.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A: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:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Apr 2026
- **Updated:** 2 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5crx-pfhq-4hgg

## What is CVE-2026-34974?

CVE-2026-34974 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 2 Apr 2026. 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 is an open source FAQ web application. Prior to version 4.1.1, the regex-based SVG sanitizer in phpMyFAQ (SvgSanitizer.php) can be bypassed using HTML entity encoding in javascript: URLs within SVG <a href> attributes. Any user with edit_faq permission can upload a malicious SVG that executes arbitrary JavaScript when viewed, enabling privilege escalation from editor to full admin takeover. This issue has been patched in version 4.1.1.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-34974?

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


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions | 4.1.1 |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | All versions | 4.1.1 |

Products: Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-34974?

Upgrade thorsten/phpmyfaq to 4.1.1 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-34974 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-34974 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-2026-34974 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-34974 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Phpmyfaq Phpmyfaq, published on 2 Apr 2026. 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-2026-34974 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.1
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected all versions; fixed in 4.1.1

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-2026-34974/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34974/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-34974
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-34974
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-34974

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34974/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.