CVE-2023-1753Network attack vector

Guessable accounts via automatic-password validation bypass

Published Mar 31, 2023 · Updated Feb 11, 2025

Weak password enforcement in phpMyFAQ before 3.1.12 allows remote authenticated users to create accounts with short passwords. The add_user branch in phpmyfaq/admin/ajax.user.php checks length only when automaticPassword is false, but otherwise passes the supplied password into createUser. The action requires an authenticated user with user-management permission, and the resulting account is easier for attackers to guess and compromise.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.72%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Weak password enforcement in phpMyFAQ before 3.1.12 allows remote authenticated users to create accounts with short passwords. The add_user branch in phpmyfaq/admin/ajax.user.php checks length only when automaticPassword is false, but otherwise passes the supplied password into createUser. The action requires an authenticated user with user-management permission, and the resulting account is easier for attackers to guess and compromise.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1753
Published
Mar 31, 2023
Updated
Feb 11, 2025
Vendor
Thorsten Rinne
Product
phpMyFAQ
Classifications
CWE-521, CAPEC-49, T1136
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 31, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 11, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <3.1.12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Thorsten Rinne · phpMyFAQversion=unspecified <3.1.12

Published CVSS scores

5.5huntr.devCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-521Weak Password Requirements
CAPEC-49Password Brute Forcing
T1136Create Account

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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