Cross-site Scripting Vulnerability in phpMyAdmin: A Security Risk
Summary
CVE-2016-5705: phpMyAdmin vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting. Affects phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin across 2 version ranges.
>= 4.4.0, < 4.4.15.7
>= 4.6.0, < 4.6.3
Fixed in 4.4.15.7 or 4.6.3, depending on the release line you run. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- phpmyadmin · Debian:11
The same CVE-2016-5705 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 widely-used open-source tool for managing MySQL databases through a web interface. It provides features such as database creation, modification, and administration, making it a popular choice among developers and database administrators. However, certain versions of phpMyAdmin have been found to be vulnerable to multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, which can compromise the security of applications that rely on this tool.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability stems from multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) flaws present in phpMyAdmin versions 4.4.x prior to 4.4.15.7 and 4.6.x prior to 4.6.3. These vulnerabilities allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML into the application through various vectors, including server-privileges certificate data fields, invalid JSON error messages, database names, group names, and search names in bookmarks. The ramifications of these vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized access, data theft, or manipulation, significantly impacting the integrity and confidentiality of the affected systems.
How To Fix
Fixed versions by release line
The minimum fixed version depends on the release line you run.
-
>= 4.4.0, < 4.4.15.74.4.15.7composer require phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin:4.4.15.7 -
>= 4.6.0, < 4.6.34.6.3composer require phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin:4.6.3
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Workaround
If immediate upgrading is not feasible, a temporary workaround is to restrict access to the phpMyAdmin interface by implementing IP whitelisting or using a web application firewall (WAF) to filter out malicious requests. Additionally, ensure that all user inputs are properly sanitized to mitigate the risk of XSS attacks.
Conclusion
In summary, the identified cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in phpMyAdmin pose a significant security risk to applications using this tool. It is crucial to update to the latest patched versions to mitigate these risks effectively. Implementing workarounds can provide temporary relief, but long-term solutions should focus on maintaining updated software.
See every vulnerability recorded for phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin →
FAQ
Cross-site Scripting (XSS) is a security vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to data theft and unauthorized actions.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Failure to address this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulation of database contents, and potential compromise of the entire application.
Yes, you can implement IP whitelisting or use a web application firewall (WAF) to restrict access and filter out malicious requests as a temporary measure.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.1, indicating a moderate level of risk associated with it.
References
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