CVE-2006-3388 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in phpMyAdmin before 2.8.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the table parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-3388 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in phpMyAdmin versions prior to 2.8.2, classified under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. This vulnerability resides within the web-based database administration interface that millions of web developers and system administrators rely upon for managing mysql databases through browser-based interactions. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user input passed through the table parameter, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML code into the application's response. The vulnerability affects the core authentication and database management functionality of phpMyAdmin, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by remote attackers without requiring any special privileges or authentication credentials.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script code within the table parameter and delivers it to a victim who is authenticated to the phpMyAdmin interface. When the victim clicks the malicious link, the injected script executes within the context of the victim's browser session, potentially allowing the attacker to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim, or redirect the user to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic reflected XSS pattern where user input is directly echoed back to the browser without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. This flaw is particularly concerning because phpMyAdmin is commonly deployed in environments where users have elevated privileges, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of database servers and potentially broader system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2006-3388 extends beyond simple script injection as it represents a fundamental security weakness that can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter. Attackers can use this vulnerability as a stepping stone for further exploitation, potentially escalating privileges or using the compromised phpMyAdmin interface to access sensitive database information, modify data, or create backdoors. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Phishing with Malicious Link, as attackers can craft convincing malicious URLs that appear legitimate to users who trust the phpMyAdmin interface. Organizations running vulnerable versions of phpMyAdmin face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized database access, and potential system compromise, especially in environments where phpMyAdmin is publicly accessible or deployed without proper network segmentation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected phpMyAdmin installations to version 2.8.2 or later, which implements proper input sanitization and output encoding for the table parameter. Security administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts, proper input validation at the application level, and network segmentation to limit exposure of phpMyAdmin interfaces to untrusted networks. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities in their web applications and ensure that all third-party components are kept up to date with the latest security patches. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of implementing secure coding practices and input validation mechanisms as recommended by OWASP Top Ten and other industry security standards to prevent similar issues from occurring in future software deployments.