CVE-2004-2632 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyAdmin 2.5.1 up to 2.5.7 allows remote attackers to modify configuration settings and gain unauthorized access to MySQL servers via modified $cfg[ Servers ] variables.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2632 represents a critical security flaw in phpMyAdmin versions 2.5.1 through 2.5.7 that enables remote attackers to manipulate configuration settings and potentially gain unauthorized access to underlying MySQL database servers. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the phpMyAdmin application's configuration handling processes. The flaw specifically targets the $cfg[Servers] variables which are used to store server connection parameters and configuration settings. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that modify these configuration variables, thereby altering the application's behavior and potentially redirecting database connections to malicious endpoints.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through parameter manipulation within the phpMyAdmin interface where the application fails to properly validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into the configuration structure. When phpMyAdmin processes these modified variables, it does not adequately sanitize or verify the legitimacy of the input data, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary configuration parameters. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to database resources, as the modified server configurations can redirect connections to attacker-controlled MySQL instances. The vulnerability falls under the category of configuration injection attacks and aligns with CWE-15 which addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in configuration commands. This flaw particularly affects the application's authentication and authorization mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to bypass normal access controls and establish connections to MySQL servers without proper credentials.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-2632 extends beyond simple configuration modification, as it can lead to complete compromise of database environments and unauthorized data access. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to MySQL databases, potentially leading to data theft, data corruption, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations using vulnerable phpMyAdmin versions in production environments, where database administrators often rely on the application for database management tasks. Attackers can use this flaw to redirect database connections to malicious servers, enabling them to intercept database traffic, perform man-in-the-middle attacks, or establish persistent access to database resources. The impact is particularly severe in environments where phpMyAdmin is publicly accessible or deployed in less secure network configurations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to phpMyAdmin versions 2.5.8 or later, where the configuration validation issues have been addressed. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to restrict access to phpMyAdmin interfaces, particularly in public-facing environments. The application should be configured with proper authentication mechanisms and access controls to prevent unauthorized users from accessing configuration settings. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual configuration changes or access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests and deploy regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper configuration management in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence through configuration manipulation. The remediation process should include thorough security testing of the updated application to ensure that no additional vulnerabilities have been introduced during the upgrade process.