CVE-2023-1886Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated comment flooding via omitted CAPTCHA code

Published Apr 5, 2023 · Updated Feb 10, 2025

Authentication bypass in Thorsten Rinne phpMyFAQ before 3.1.12 allows remote attackers to submit unlimited comments without CAPTCHA validation. The ajaxservice.php handler skipped checkCaptchaCode when the CAPTCHA code parameter was null, so omitting that parameter bypassed the anti-automation check. The endpoint is reachable without authentication; the documented consequence is comment flooding, not administrative access or code execution.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.88%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Thorsten Rinne phpMyFAQ before 3.1.12 allows remote attackers to submit unlimited comments without CAPTCHA validation. The ajaxservice.php handler skipped checkCaptchaCode when the CAPTCHA code parameter was null, so omitting that parameter bypassed the anti-automation check. The endpoint is reachable without authentication; the documented consequence is comment flooding, not administrative access or code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-1886
Published
Apr 5, 2023
Updated
Feb 10, 2025
Vendor
Thorsten Rinne
Product
phpMyFAQ
Classifications
CWE-294
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 5, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 10, 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 privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Thorsten Rinne · phpMyFAQversion=unspecified <3.1.12

Published CVSS scores

9.8GitLab Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-294Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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