Symlink Exposure Vulnerability in phpMyAdmin: CVE-2016-6613
Summary
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-6613: An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. Affects phpmyadmin versions 4:4.0.10-1 – 4:4.0.9-1. No fix is published. 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 allows users to perform various database operations such as creating, modifying, and deleting databases, tables, and records. The tool is popular among developers and database administrators due to its ease of use and extensive features. However, certain versions of phpMyAdmin are vulnerable to a symlink exposure issue, which can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files.
Vulnerability Detail
An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin where a user can craft a symlink on disk pointing to a file that phpMyAdmin is allowed to read, but the user does not have permission to access. When phpMyAdmin processes this symlink, it inadvertently exposes the contents of the file to the user, potentially leading to unauthorized data disclosure. This vulnerability affects all 4.6.x versions prior to 4.6.4, 4.4.x versions prior to 4.4.15.8, and 4.0.x versions prior to 4.0.10.17.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can restrict user permissions on sensitive files to prevent unauthorized access until the package is updated. Ensure that only authorized users have access to critical files that phpMyAdmin may read.
Conclusion
The symlink exposure vulnerability in phpMyAdmin (CVE-2016-6613) poses a risk of unauthorized file access. Users are advised to update to the latest patched versions of the software to mitigate this risk. Implementing temporary workarounds can help protect sensitive data until the update is completed.
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FAQ
CVE-2016-6613 is a vulnerability in phpMyAdmin that allows users to exploit symlinks to access files they are not permitted to read.
All 4.6.x versions prior to 4.6.4, 4.4.x versions prior to 4.4.15.8, and 4.0.x versions prior to 4.0.10.17 are affected.
You can use Vulert, which monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected without needing to sign up.
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 5.3, indicating a moderate severity level.
If immediate updating is not possible, restrict access to sensitive files as a temporary workaround until the update can be applied.
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