---
id: "CVE-2026-111893"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-111893"]
title: "phpMyFAQ: category-restricted admins can grant themselves unrestricted category access"
severity: "high"
cvss: 8.5
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["package", "php", "phpmyfaq", "self-hosted"]
not_affected_if: ["default-config", "no-delegated-admins"]
published_at: "2026-10-17T19:16:30+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:14+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-25T03:00:36+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-111893", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:14+00:00"}]
---

# phpMyFAQ: category-restricted admins can grant themselves unrestricted category access

phpMyFAQ 4.2.0-alpha before 4.2.0-beta lets delegated administrators assign categories outside their own scope through the group category restrictions endpoint. A restricted admin can post out-of-scope or empty category IDs to grant groups unrestricted access to categories they should not control.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Check the installed version in the phpMyFAQ admin panel or in the release files; versions `4.2.0-alpha` up to but not including `4.2.0-beta` are affected.
- Review whether any delegated administrators are restricted to categories, since only they can use this path.

## Fix

- Upgrade phpMyFAQ to `4.2.0-beta` or later.
- Until upgraded, review group category restrictions and remove delegated admin rights that are not needed.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T21:57:14+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-111893

## From the sources

phpMyFAQ 4.2.0-alpha before 4.2.0-beta contains a privilege escalation vulnerability in GroupController::saveCategoryRestrictions() that lets delegated administrators assign categories outside their own scope. Category-restricted administrators can POST to /admin/api/group/category-restrictions with out-of-scope or empty categoryIds to grant groups unrestricted category access.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_