# CVE-2026-45009: phpMyFAQ - Insufficient Authorization Check in Admin API Endpoints

> Authenticated ordinary users can access sensitive administrative data in phpMyFAQ due to insufficient authorization checks on admin API endpoints.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 May 2026
- **Updated:** 28 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jrc5-w569-h7h5

## What is CVE-2026-45009?

CVE-2026-45009 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in thorsten phpmyfaq, published on 15 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

phpMyFAQ before 4.1.2 contains an insufficient authorization vulnerability in admin-api routes that allows authenticated ordinary users to access administrative endpoints by only checking login status instead of verifying backend privileges. Attackers with valid frontend user accounts can access sensitive backend operational information including dashboard versions, LDAP configuration, Elasticsearch statistics, and health-check data.

Weakness: CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-45009?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including thorsten/phpmyfaq and phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | From 4.1.1 | 4.1.2 |
| `thorsten/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | From 4.1.1 | 4.1.2 |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | From 4.1.1 | 4.1.2 |
| `phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq` | Packagist | From 4.1.1 | 4.1.2 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-45009?

Upgrade thorsten/phpmyfaq to 4.1.2 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-45009 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-45009 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-45009 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-45009 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in thorsten phpmyfaq, published on 15 May 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-45009 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected from 4.1.1; fixed in 4.1.2
- thorsten/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected from 4.1.1; fixed in 4.1.2
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected from 4.1.1; fixed in 4.1.2
- phpmyfaq/phpmyfaq (Packagist): affected from 4.1.1; fixed in 4.1.2

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-2026-45009/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45009/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-45009
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-45009
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-45009

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45009/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.