CVE-2008-3032 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the phpMyAdmin (phpmyadmin) extension 3.0.1 and earlier for TYPO3 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2018
The CVE-2008-3032 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in phpMyAdmin extension versions 3.0.1 and earlier when integrated with TYPO3 content management systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the phpMyAdmin extension for TYPO3, which serves as a database management tool that allows administrators to interact with mysql databases through a web interface. The flaw exists within the extension's handling of user input parameters, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used database administration tool that many organizations rely upon for managing their data infrastructure, especially within web application environments that utilize TYPO3 as their primary content management platform.
The technical nature of this XSS vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the phpMyAdmin extension for TYPO3. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets processed and subsequently rendered without proper sanitization, allowing the injected scripts to execute in the victim's browser. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple input points within the extension's interface could serve as attack surfaces, potentially including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable data elements. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-site Scripting, which specifically addresses the improper handling of untrusted data in web applications. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit it without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where the extension is publicly accessible.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-3032 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, steal sensitive credentials, or redirect users to malicious websites. When an authenticated user accesses the vulnerable phpMyAdmin interface, the injected scripts can execute within their browser context, potentially compromising their session cookies or other authentication tokens. This vulnerability could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to database management functions, modify database content, or escalate privileges within the TYPO3 environment. The attack surface is further expanded because phpMyAdmin is often deployed with administrative privileges, meaning successful exploitation could provide attackers with full database access and potentially lead to broader system compromise. Organizations using TYPO3 with the vulnerable phpMyAdmin extension face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized database manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-3032 should prioritize immediate patching of the vulnerable phpMyAdmin extension to version 3.0.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their TYPO3 installations, ensuring that all user-provided data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of the vulnerable extension to trusted users only, while implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify other potential vulnerabilities within the TYPO3 ecosystem. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks, as recommended by the OWASP Top Ten project and aligned with ATT&CK framework techniques for web application attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party components and the potential consequences of failing to apply security patches promptly.