CVE-2011-3181 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in the Tracking feature in phpMyAdmin 3.3.x before 3.3.10.4 and 3.4.x before 3.4.4 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a (1) table name, (2) column name, or (3) index name.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3181 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness discovered in phpMyAdmin's tracking functionality across specific version ranges. This vulnerability affects phpMyAdmin versions 3.3.x prior to 3.3.10.4 and 3.4.x prior to 3.4.4, creating a significant security risk for database administrators who rely on this popular web-based database management tool. The flaw specifically resides within the tracking feature implementation, which is designed to monitor and log database activities including table modifications, column changes, and index operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within phpMyAdmin's tracking module. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating table names, column names, or index names through maliciously crafted inputs that are then reflected back to users without proper HTML escaping or encoding. This allows threat actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code or HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected tracking data. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or privileged access to the database system itself.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-3181 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, defacement of database management interfaces, or redirection to malicious websites. Since phpMyAdmin is commonly used by database administrators and developers, successful exploitation could provide attackers with access to sensitive database information, potentially leading to data breaches or further system compromise. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the user interface and can be leveraged to create persistent threats within the web application environment. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in input validation and output encoding mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate patching to phpMyAdmin versions 3.3.10.4 or 3.4.4 and later, which contain the necessary fixes for input validation. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as web application firewalls, input sanitization at multiple layers, and regular security assessments of web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the 'Command and Control' and 'Initial Access' phases, as it enables adversaries to establish persistent access through web-based attack vectors. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in other web applications and ensure proper input validation practices are implemented across all user-facing interfaces to prevent similar XSS vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.