CVE-2007-1395 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Incomplete blacklist vulnerability in index.php in phpMyAdmin 2.8.0 through 2.9.2 allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks by injecting arbitrary JavaScript or HTML in a (1) db or (2) table parameter value followed by an uppercase </SCRIPT> end tag, which bypasses the protection against lowercase </script>.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-1395 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in phpMyAdmin versions 2.8.0 through 2.9.2 that demonstrates a fundamental weakness in input validation and sanitization mechanisms. This issue specifically affects the index.php script where the application fails to properly validate user-supplied input parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response. The vulnerability arises from an incomplete blacklist approach that only filters lowercase script tags while failing to account for uppercase variations, which constitutes a classic security bypass technique that has been documented in numerous security assessments and penetration testing scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a specific pattern where attackers can inject malicious payloads by manipulating the db and table parameters in the URL. When a user submits a request containing a crafted db or table parameter value followed by an uppercase </SCRIPT> end tag, the application's filtering mechanism fails to detect this variation and allows the malicious code to be executed within the victim's browser context. This behavior directly violates the principle of defense in depth and demonstrates a failure in proper input sanitization that aligns with common weaknesses identified in CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. The vulnerability specifically operates through the application's attempt to prevent XSS by filtering script tags, but the implementation is flawed due to its case-sensitive approach that does not account for all possible variations of the malicious payload.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of any authenticated user's session, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or privilege escalation. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform session fixation attacks, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject malicious content that can persist across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected phpMyAdmin versions and can be exploited without requiring any special privileges or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the application is accessible to unauthenticated users. This flaw represents a serious concern for database administrators who rely on phpMyAdmin for database management tasks, as it could enable attackers to compromise the entire database management interface and potentially access sensitive data stored within the database systems.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper input validation and sanitization techniques that go beyond simple blacklist approaches. Organizations should upgrade to phpMyAdmin versions 2.9.3 or later where this vulnerability has been addressed through improved input filtering mechanisms. The recommended approach includes implementing proper output encoding, using whitelist-based validation rather than blacklist approaches, and ensuring that all user-supplied input is properly sanitized before being processed or rendered. Security practitioners should also consider implementing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to provide additional protection against XSS attacks, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's techniques for command and control through web application vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive input validation and the dangers of relying on incomplete or case-sensitive filtering mechanisms that can be easily bypassed by determined attackers.