phpMyFAQ has Stored XSS in user list via admin-managed display_name

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

5.4 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2025-68951: 0.28% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 20.61 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary A stored cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in an administrator’s browser by registering a user whose display name contains HTML entities (e.g., <img ...>). When an administrator views the admin user list, the payload is decoded server-side and rendered without escaping, resulting in script execution in the admin context. Details Root cause is the following chain: - User-controlled input stored: attacker-provided displayname (real name) is stored in DB (often as HTML entities, e.g., <img ...>). - Decode on read: phpmyfaq/src/phpMyFAQ/User/UserData.php decodes displayname using htmlentitydecode(...) (“for backward compatibility”). - Unsafe sink: admin user list renders the decoded value unescaped using Twig |raw: - phpmyfaq/assets/templates/admin/user/users.twig (users table uses {{ user.displayname|raw }}) As a result, an entity-encoded payload becomes active HTML/JS when rendered in the admin user list.…

Published by the source

29 Dec 2025, 22:12 UTC

Last modified by the source

31 Dec 2025, 22:13 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 14:35 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-jv8r-hv7q-p6vc

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2025-68951

Advisory: phpMyFAQ has Stored XSS in user list via admin-managed display_name
IDs: CVE-2025-68951, GHSA-jv8r-hv7q-p6vc
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2025-68951 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 14:35 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: thorsten/phpmyfaq 4.0.16. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Packagist thorsten/phpmyfaq: affected >= 4.0.14, < 4.0.16; fixed in 4.0.16

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Packagist thorsten/phpmyfaq: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on thorsten/phpmyfaq.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jv8r-hv7q-p6vc (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-jv8r-hv7q-p6vc lists affected ranges: Packagist thorsten/phpmyfaq >=4.0.14 <4.0.16)

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