CRLF Injection Vulnerability in phpMyAdmin - Multiple Ubuntu Versions
Summary
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-11441: DISPUTED phpMyAdmin 5.0.2 allows CRLF injection, as demonstrated by %0D%0Astring%0D%0A inputs to login form fields causing CRLF sequences to be reflected on an error page. 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 and tables. The tool is popular among developers and system administrators for its ease of use and extensive features. However, phpMyAdmin versions prior to 5.0.3 are susceptible to a CRLF (Carriage Return Line Feed) injection vulnerability, which can potentially lead to security issues.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11441 affects phpMyAdmin version 5.0.2, allowing for CRLF injection through crafted inputs in login form fields. This can result in CRLF sequences being reflected on error pages, which may lead to further exploitation. Although the vendor has disputed the severity of the issue, the potential for misuse remains a concern, particularly in environments where user input is not properly sanitized.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, you can implement input validation to sanitize user inputs in the login form fields, preventing CRLF sequences from being processed. This can be done by using regular expressions to filter out unwanted characters.
Conclusion
The CRLF injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin poses a risk to users of affected versions. It is crucial to update to the latest version to safeguard against potential exploitation. Implementing input validation can serve as a temporary workaround while updates are being planned.
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FAQ
CRLF injection is a type of attack where an attacker can inject carriage return (CR) and line feed (LF) characters into an input, potentially altering the behavior of web applications.
The vulnerability affects phpMyAdmin version 5.0.2 and earlier versions across multiple Ubuntu distributions.
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The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.1, indicating a moderate level of severity.
If immediate updates are not possible, ensure that you implement input validation as a temporary measure to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
References
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