CVE-2011-1941 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the redirector feature in phpMyAdmin 3.4.x before 3.4.1 allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1941 represents a critical open redirect flaw within phpMyAdmin's redirector functionality, specifically affecting versions 3.4.x prior to 3.4.1. This issue resides in the web application's authorization and redirection mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user navigation. The vulnerability operates by failing to properly validate or sanitize redirect URLs, allowing attackers to craft malicious links that would redirect users to attacker-controlled domains. The impact extends beyond simple redirection as it enables sophisticated social engineering attacks, particularly phishing campaigns where unsuspecting users might be tricked into visiting malicious sites that appear legitimate due to the phpMyAdmin interface. This flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding practices within the application's security architecture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of redirect parameters within phpMyAdmin's authentication and navigation systems. Attackers can construct URLs that contain malicious redirect targets, leveraging the application's trust in its own redirector functionality to fool users into visiting unintended destinations. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where applications redirect users to external sites without proper validation. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to bypass security controls and establish a foothold in user sessions, potentially leading to credential theft, data exfiltration, or further exploitation. The issue manifests when the application processes redirect requests without adequately verifying that the target URLs originate from trusted sources or meet specific security criteria.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-1941 extends significantly beyond immediate redirection attacks, as it provides attackers with a vector for conducting comprehensive phishing campaigns that can compromise user credentials and sensitive database information. Organizations running vulnerable phpMyAdmin instances face substantial risk of user deception, where authenticated sessions could be hijacked through carefully crafted redirect links. The vulnerability particularly affects database administrators who frequently use phpMyAdmin, making them prime targets for credential harvesting attacks. Security professionals must consider the broader implications of this flaw within network security postures, as it can serve as a launching point for more sophisticated attacks that exploit user trust in legitimate administrative interfaces. The attack surface expands when considering that phpMyAdmin is commonly deployed in environments where database access is critical for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-1941 require immediate implementation of version updates to phpMyAdmin 3.4.1 or later, which contain the necessary patches addressing the redirector validation issues. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including URL validation mechanisms, network-level filtering of suspicious redirect attempts, and user education regarding phishing awareness. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering methods including phishing, where the open redirect vulnerability serves as an initial access vector. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls with custom rules to detect and block malicious redirect patterns, along with monitoring for unusual redirect activities within application logs. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include verification of phpMyAdmin versions and configuration settings to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process must also involve reviewing all redirect functionality within the application to ensure proper validation and sanitization of user inputs.