CVE-2005-2869 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in phpMyAdmin before 2.6.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) the Username to libraries/auth/cookie.auth.lib.php or (2) the error parameter to error.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2869 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting phpMyAdmin versions prior to 2.6.4. This vulnerability exists within the authentication and error handling components of the widely-used database administration tool, creating a significant security risk for web applications that rely on phpMyAdmin for database management. The flaw allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized access to database resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs in two distinct attack vectors within the phpMyAdmin codebase. The first vector involves the Username parameter within the libraries/auth/cookie.auth.lib.php file, where user input is not properly sanitized before being processed and displayed. The second vector targets the error parameter in the error.php file, where error messages are rendered without adequate input validation or output encoding. Both pathways demonstrate poor input handling practices that directly violate fundamental security principles for preventing XSS attacks. These issues fall under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web page content without proper sanitization or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be exploited to compromise entire web applications and user sessions. Attackers can craft malicious requests that, when processed by vulnerable phpMyAdmin installations, would execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This could lead to complete account compromise, data exfiltration, or the execution of unauthorized database operations. The attack surface is particularly concerning because phpMyAdmin is commonly deployed in environments where it has elevated database privileges, making successful exploitation potentially devastating. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers could use the XSS to redirect users to malicious sites or harvest credentials.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-2869 require immediate patching of affected phpMyAdmin installations to version 2.6.4 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should also implement proper output encoding for all user-supplied data, particularly in authentication and error handling contexts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious parameter values in authentication and error handling endpoints. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices, which are fundamental requirements in secure coding standards and directly align with OWASP Top Ten security principles. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of web applications should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the application stack.