CVE-2005-0653 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyAdmin 2.6.1 does not properly grant permissions on tables with an underscore in the name, which grants remote authenticated users more privileges than intended.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0653 affects phpMyAdmin version 2.6.1 and represents a significant access control flaw that undermines the database management system's permission model. This issue specifically manifests when dealing with database tables that contain underscore characters in their names, creating a scenario where the application's privilege validation mechanism fails to properly enforce access restrictions. The flaw exists within the core permission handling code that processes table-level access controls, allowing authenticated users to escalate their privileges beyond what should be permitted based on their assigned roles and permissions.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper parsing and validation of table names containing underscores during permission checks. When phpMyAdmin processes table-level access controls, it fails to correctly handle the special character underscore in table naming conventions, leading to a privilege escalation condition where users can access tables they should not be authorized to view or modify. This occurs because the application's internal logic for comparing user permissions against table names does not properly account for underscore characters, causing the permission system to either grant excessive access or fail to properly restrict access to sensitive database objects. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the fundamental security model of the application, which is widely used for database administration tasks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by authenticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive database information. Remote authenticated users who can log into the phpMyAdmin interface can leverage this flaw to access tables containing confidential data, potentially including personal information, financial records, or other sensitive database content. The vulnerability affects database administrators who rely on phpMyAdmin for their daily operations, as it undermines the trust model that should protect database integrity and confidentiality. This issue particularly impacts organizations that use underscore characters in their database table naming conventions, which is a common practice in database design and development.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to phpMyAdmin version 2.6.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the permission handling flaw. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of existing table naming conventions to identify potential vulnerable configurations and review user permission assignments to ensure proper access controls are in place. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all database access controls. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques that attackers can use to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, making it a critical concern for organizations implementing database security measures. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and additional authentication layers to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities in their database environments.