# CVE-2025-69200: phpMyFAQ - Information Disclosure

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2025-69200 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-69200

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Limited Exploitation. The vulnerability is known but shows very limited attacker interest or exploitation activity.
- **CVSS score:** 7.5
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** Thorsten phpMyFAQ
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-202 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries)
- **Tags:** php, web_application

## Description

phpMyFAQ is an open source FAQ web application. In versions prior to 4.0.16, an unauthenticated remote attacker can trigger generation of a configuration backup ZIP via `POST /api/setup/backup` and then download the generated ZIP from a web-accessible location. The ZIP contains sensitive configuration files (e.g., `database.php` with database credentials), leading to high-impact information disclosure and potential follow-on compromise. Version 4.0.16 fixes the issue.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2025-69200](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2025-69200) is an information disclosure vulnerability in phpMyFAQ versions prior to 4.0.16, where unauthenticated remote attackers can generate and download a backup ZIP containing sensitive configuration files, including database credentials. This flaw exposes critical information that could be leveraged for further attacks, such as unauthorized database access or full system compromise.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 14th of January 2026.

Insights from the CrowdSec network reveal that the attackers trying to exploit CVE-2025-69200 are composed of a fairly even mix of opportunistic and targeted actors. Some attackers employ preliminary reconnaissance, while others use indiscriminate scanning.
Data from the CrowdSec community also indicates a gradual decrease in attacks targeting CVE-2025-69200. While still present in the wild, exploitation levels have dropped noticeably week-over-week. This may signal that the vulnerability is becoming less relevant or that defenses are improving fast enough for attackers to lose interest.

Attackers exploit unauthenticated POST requests to the `/api/setup/backup` endpoint to generate and download configuration backup ZIP files, exposing sensitive phpMyFAQ configuration data.

## Timeline

- 2025-12-29: CVE Published. CVE-2025-69200 is published to NVD.
- 2026-01-14: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2025-69200 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2026-01-19: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2025-69200 for the first time.

## References

- https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/commit/b0e99ee3695152115841cb546d8dce64ceb8c29a
- https://github.com/thorsten/phpMyFAQ/security/advisories/GHSA-9cg9-4h4f-j6fg
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-69200.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2025-69200) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2025-69200. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.