SQL Injection Vulnerability in phpMyAdmin: CVE-2019-6798
Summary
CVE-2019-6798: An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin before 4.8.5. Affects phpmyadmin across 2 version ranges.
< 4:4.9.1+dfsg1-2
>= 796e6ae09301a7ea8aae74fdb3bb44538c0f5151, <= 56ba19808f020fa8ac63366d450c3928564a91b8
Fixed in 4:4.9.1+dfsg1-2. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
Background
phpMyAdmin is a widely used open-source tool for managing MySQL databases through a web interface. It allows users to perform various database operations such as creating, modifying, and deleting databases and tables, executing SQL queries, and managing user permissions. Despite its robust functionality, phpMyAdmin has been susceptible to vulnerabilities, including SQL injection attacks, which can compromise the security of the databases it manages.
Vulnerability Detail
CVE-2019-6798 is a SQL injection vulnerability found in phpMyAdmin versions prior to 4.8.5. The vulnerability arises from the handling of specially crafted usernames within the designer feature of phpMyAdmin. An attacker can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, data manipulation, or even complete database compromise. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating a critical level of severity.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
4:4.9.1+dfsg1-2
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade phpmyadminTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
If upgrading is not immediately possible, consider restricting access to the phpMyAdmin interface by implementing IP whitelisting or using a VPN to limit exposure to trusted users only. Additionally, ensure that database user permissions are tightly controlled to minimize potential damage from an exploit.
Conclusion
CVE-2019-6798 represents a significant security risk for users of phpMyAdmin versions prior to 4.8.5. It is crucial for users to upgrade to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability and protect their databases from potential attacks. Utilizing tools like Vulert can further enhance security by providing real-time alerts for open-source vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for phpmyadmin →
FAQ
CVE-2019-6798 is a SQL injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin that allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands through specially crafted usernames.
If you are using phpMyAdmin version prior to 4.8.5, your installation is vulnerable. You can check your version in the phpMyAdmin interface or by inspecting the installed package.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, data manipulation, and complete database compromise.
You can upgrade phpMyAdmin using your package manager. For Debian-based systems, use 'sudo apt-get update' followed by 'sudo apt-get install phpmyadmin'.
Vulert is a tool that monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using a manifest file like package-lock.json. You can check if your application is affected by vulnerabilities like CVE-2019-6798 using the Vulert playground without signup.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for phpmyadmin.
Habilume
Habit tracker with a companion that grows with you
Complete habits, earn Lume Points, and watch your Lume grow as you stay consistent.
