CVE-2005-3665 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in phpMyAdmin before 2.7.0 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) HTTP_HOST variable and (2) various scripts in the libraries directory that handle header generation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-3665 represents a critical security flaw in phpMyAdmin versions prior to 2.7.0, exposing the application to multiple cross-site scripting attacks that can be exploited by remote adversaries. This vulnerability affects the core functionality of the database administration tool, which is widely used by web administrators and developers for managing mysql databases through web interfaces. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's handling of HTTP headers and script generation processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary attack vectors that leverage the application's insecure handling of user-supplied data. The first vector involves the HTTP_HOST variable, which is directly processed without proper sanitization, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers. The second vector targets various scripts located in the libraries directory that manage header generation, where the application fails to properly escape or validate input parameters before incorporating them into HTTP response headers. These vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as reflected XSS attacks where malicious code is reflected back to users through the application's response.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-3665 is substantial, as successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive database information, session hijacking, and potential privilege escalation within the database management environment. Attackers can craft malicious requests that, when executed by unsuspecting administrators or users, could steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or inject persistent scripts that compromise user browsers. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where phpMyAdmin is deployed without proper network segmentation or additional security controls, as the attack surface extends to any user who can access the web interface. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks through malicious web content, and T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol manipulation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through upgrading to phpMyAdmin version 2.7.0 or later, which includes proper input validation and output sanitization measures. Additional mitigations include implementing proper web application firewalls, deploying content security policies, and ensuring that phpMyAdmin installations are not directly exposed to untrusted networks. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to the database administration interface, and administrators should implement regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other web applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper input validation mechanisms as recommended by OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly focusing on the prevention of XSS vulnerabilities through proper output encoding and validation of all user-supplied data.