CVE-2007-2016 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mysql/phpinfo.php in phpMyAdmin 2.6.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the lang[] parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2018
The CVE-2007-2016 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw discovered in phpMyAdmin version 2.6.1, specifically within the mysql/phpinfo.php component. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user-supplied input through the lang[] parameter, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw demonstrates a critical weakness in input validation and output encoding practices that were prevalent in web applications during the early 2000s era when this vulnerability was first identified.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from phpMyAdmin's insufficient sanitization of the lang[] parameter which is processed during the phpinfo.php page execution. When users navigate to this specific page with malicious input in the lang[] parameter, the application fails to properly encode or escape the user-provided data before incorporating it into the HTTP response. This allows attackers to inject HTML tags, JavaScript code, or other malicious content that gets executed in the browsers of unsuspecting victims who visit the affected page. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data before including it in dynamically generated web content. This weakness enables attackers to bypass the same-origin policy that normally protects web browsers from malicious script execution across different domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, or even execute more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or data exfiltration. Given that phpMyAdmin is a widely used database administration tool accessible through web interfaces, the potential attack surface is significant, particularly in environments where database administrators have elevated privileges or where the application handles sensitive data. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which describes the use of scripting languages for code execution, and T1566 which covers social engineering through malicious content delivery. Organizations running vulnerable versions of phpMyAdmin face substantial risk of unauthorized access to database systems, potential data breaches, and compromise of database administrative privileges that could lead to complete system compromise.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the phpMyAdmin application. Organizations should upgrade to patched versions of phpMyAdmin that address this specific XSS vulnerability, as version 2.6.1 was superseded by versions that included proper sanitization of user input parameters. The fix typically involves implementing strict input validation for the lang[] parameter to reject or escape any potentially malicious content, combined with proper HTML encoding of all output that incorporates user-supplied data. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Security measures should also include regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in other web applications and components within the organization's infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that may exist in legacy systems.