CVE-2016-2039 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
libraries/session.inc.php in phpMyAdmin 4.0.x before 4.0.10.13, 4.4.x before 4.4.15.3, and 4.5.x before 4.5.4 does not properly generate CSRF token values, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by predicting a value.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2039 affects phpMyAdmin versions across multiple release lines including 4.0.x before 4.0.10.13, 4.4.x before 4.4.15.3, and 4.5.x before 4.5.4. This issue resides within the libraries/session.inc.php file and represents a critical weakness in the application's cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms. The flaw stems from improper generation of CSRF token values which creates a predictable security mechanism that attackers can exploit to bypass intended access controls. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1190 for Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it enables unauthorized access to administrative functions through predictable token manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the cryptographic randomness of session token generation within phpMyAdmin's authentication system. When CSRF protection is enabled, the application should generate unpredictable tokens that are tied to the user's session and validated on each request. However, in the affected versions, the token generation algorithm produces values that can be predicted or guessed, effectively nullifying the CSRF protection mechanism. This predictability allows remote attackers to construct malicious requests that appear legitimate to the phpMyAdmin interface, thereby enabling unauthorized administrative actions such as database modifications, user management, and configuration changes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the session management level, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain complete control over database administration functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates a persistent security risk for organizations relying on phpMyAdmin for database management. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can perform authenticated operations without proper authorization, potentially leading to data corruption, unauthorized data access, or complete system compromise when combined with other vulnerabilities. The attack surface includes any web application that utilizes phpMyAdmin for database administration and has CSRF protection enabled. Organizations may experience significant operational disruption, including potential data breaches, unauthorized modifications to database structures, and loss of administrative control over critical database systems. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple release versions indicates a systemic issue in the application's session management implementation that required multiple patches to address properly.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-2039 focus on immediate patching of affected phpMyAdmin installations to versions 4.0.10.13, 4.4.15.3, or 4.5.4 respectively. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including network segmentation to limit access to phpMyAdmin interfaces, enforcing strong authentication mechanisms such as two-factor authentication, and monitoring for suspicious session activity. Security administrators should validate that CSRF tokens are properly generated using cryptographically secure random number generators and regularly audit session management implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation in web applications and highlights the need for regular security assessments of authentication mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious requests, and maintain comprehensive logging of administrative activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure session management and proper token generation in preventing unauthorized access to administrative interfaces.