Critical Vulnerability in phpMyAdmin: Serialized String Parsing Bypass
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2016-9865: An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. Affects phpmyadmin versions < 4.4.15.9-r0. Fixed in 4.4.15.9-r0. How to fix ↓
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Background
phpMyAdmin is a widely used open-source tool for managing MySQL databases through a web interface. It provides a user-friendly way to interact with databases, allowing users to perform various operations such as creating, modifying, and deleting databases and tables. However, certain versions of phpMyAdmin are vulnerable to a critical security flaw that can lead to unauthorized access and data manipulation.
Vulnerability Detail
An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin due to a bug in serialized string parsing. This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass the protection offered by the PMA_safeUnserialize() function. All versions of phpMyAdmin 4.6.x prior to 4.6.5, 4.4.x prior to 4.4.15.9, and 4.0.x prior to 4.0.10.18 are affected. The potential ramifications include unauthorized access to sensitive data, data manipulation, and other malicious activities, making this a critical vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.8.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
4.4.15.9-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade phpmyadminTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can restrict access to the phpMyAdmin interface by implementing IP whitelisting or using strong authentication methods to limit exposure until the package is updated.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in phpMyAdmin due to serialized string parsing poses a significant risk to users of affected versions. It is crucial to update to the patched versions to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and data manipulation. Implementing temporary workarounds can help secure installations until updates are applied.
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FAQ
All versions of phpMyAdmin 4.6.x prior to 4.6.5, 4.4.x prior to 4.4.15.9, and 4.0.x prior to 4.0.10.18 are affected.
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 9.8, indicating a critical level of severity.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, data manipulation, and other malicious activities.
You can implement IP whitelisting or strong authentication methods to restrict access to the phpMyAdmin interface.
References
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