phpMyFAQ Weak Cryptography Vulnerability in Password Hashing

A vulnerability exists in phpMyFAQ versions through 4.1.3, where attachment passwords are hashed using SHA-1, a cryptographically broken algorithm susceptible to collision attacks. This weak hashing provides no real protection, as the hashed passwords are not verified upon retrieval. The vulnerability has been addressed in version 4.1.4.

Impact

Exploitation of this vulnerability allows for bypassing attachment password protection by generating SHA-1 collisions. Additionally, if the database is compromised, there is a risk of cracking the hashed passwords, which would take less than a minute for a standard attachment.

Remediation

Users are advised to update to phpMyFAQ version 4.1.4, where this vulnerability has been fixed. For those who have customized the password handling, it is recommended to switch to a stronger hashing algorithm, such as bcrypt.