CVE-2020-22452: SQL Injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin

phpmyadmin Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

06/03/2024

Disclosed on

CVE-2020-22452

CVE

Yes i

Fix available

Critical

Severity

Not published

CVSS Score

CVE-2020-22452: SQL Injection vulnerability in function getTableCreationQuery in CreateAddField.php in phpMyAdmin 5.x before 5.2.0 via the tbl_storage_engine or tbl_collation parameters to tbl_create.php. Affects phpmyadmin versions >= 5.0.0, < 5.2.0. Fixed in 5.2.0. How to fix ↓

Also tracked for

phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin · Packagist
phpmyadmin · Debian:11

The same CVE-2020-22452 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.

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Background

phpMyAdmin is a popular open-source tool for managing MySQL databases. It provides a web-based interface that allows users to perform various database management tasks. This vulnerability affects phpMyAdmin versions 5.x before 5.2.0. The vulnerability exists in the 'getTableCreationQuery' function in 'CreateAddField.php' file, specifically in the handling of the 'tbl_storage_engine' or 'tbl_collation' parameters in the 'tbl_create.php' file. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary SQL queries, potentially leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or even remote code execution.

Vulnerability Detail

The SQL Injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin allows an attacker to inject malicious SQL code through the 'tbl_storage_engine' or 'tbl_collation' parameters in the 'tbl_create.php' file. This vulnerability arises due to insufficient input validation and sanitization. By crafting a specially crafted request, an attacker can manipulate the SQL query executed by the application, leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or remote code execution. This vulnerability has a critical severity score of CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

5.2.0

This is the first release that contains the fix.

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Workaround

If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately possible, a temporary workaround can be implemented by disabling or restricting access to the 'tbl_create.php' file. This can be achieved by modifying the server configuration or using access control mechanisms to block unauthorized access to the vulnerable file.

Conclusion

The SQL Injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin can have severe consequences, including unauthorized access, data manipulation, or remote code execution. It is crucial to upgrade to the latest version of phpMyAdmin (5.2.0 or later) to mitigate this vulnerability. If immediate upgrade is not possible, implementing a temporary workaround by restricting access to the vulnerable file can provide some protection. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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