CVE-2006-5718 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in error.php in phpMyAdmin 2.6.4 through 2.9.0.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via UTF-7 or US-ASCII encoded characters, which are injected into an error message, as demonstrated by a request with a utf7 charset parameter accompanied by UTF-7 data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5718 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within phpMyAdmin versions 2.6.4 through 2.9.0.2, specifically affecting the error.php component. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization of character encoding parameters, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts within the context of affected users' browsers. The flaw exploits the application's handling of UTF-7 and US-ASCII encoded characters during error message generation, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary HTML content that persists in error messages displayed to end users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from phpMyAdmin's inadequate sanitization of charset parameters, particularly when processing requests containing utf7 encoding. When an attacker submits a request with a utf7 charset parameter alongside UTF-7 encoded data, the application fails to properly validate or escape the input before incorporating it into error messages. This processing error creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious payloads can be stored and subsequently executed whenever the error message is rendered to a user's browser. The vulnerability specifically targets the error handling mechanism, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal application error conditions rather than requiring direct exploitation of application functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user data, or redirect victims to malicious sites. Given that phpMyAdmin is widely used for database administration, the attack surface is substantial, with compromised installations potentially providing attackers with access to sensitive database information and administrative controls. The vulnerability's persistence through error messages means that even if the initial injection occurs during a specific error condition, the malicious content remains embedded and continues to execute whenever the error message is displayed, creating a long-term threat vector that can affect multiple users over extended periods.
Security professionals should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures to address this vulnerability, including strict validation of charset parameters and proper HTML escaping of all user-supplied content. The mitigation strategy should encompass updating to patched versions of phpMyAdmin where available, implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious charset parameter combinations, and deploying content security policies that restrict script execution within the application context. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 related to social engineering through malicious web content, emphasizing the need for robust input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application lifecycle. Organizations using vulnerable versions should prioritize immediate remediation and conduct thorough security assessments of their database administration environments to prevent exploitation of this persistent XSS vulnerability.