CVE-2016-2561 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in phpMyAdmin 4.4.x before 4.4.15.5 and 4.5.x before 4.5.5.1 allow remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via (1) normalization.php or (2) js/normalization.js in the database normalization page, (3) templates/database/structure/sortable_header.phtml in the database structure page, or (4) the pos parameter to db_central_columns.php in the central columns page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2561 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw affecting phpMyAdmin versions 4.4.x prior to 4.4.15.5 and 4.5.x prior to 4.5.5.1. This vulnerability resides within the database management interface that millions of web administrators rely upon for database administration tasks. The flaw allows authenticated attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into various pages of the phpMyAdmin interface, creating persistent XSS attack vectors that can compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core administrative pages including database normalization, structure, and central columns functionality, making it a high-impact issue for database administrators who frequently use these features.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within phpMyAdmin's web interface. Specifically, the flaw manifests in four distinct locations where user-controllable parameters are not properly escaped before being rendered back to the browser. The first vector involves the normalization.php script and js/normalization.js file where database normalization parameters are processed without sufficient sanitization. The second vulnerability occurs in templates/database/structure/sortable_header.phtml which handles database structure sorting headers, while the third vector is found in the pos parameter of db_central_columns.php that manages central columns functionality. These locations fail to properly escape user-supplied input before incorporating it into HTML output, creating opportunities for attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of authenticated sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-2561 extends beyond simple script injection, as authenticated attackers can leverage these vulnerabilities to perform session hijacking, steal administrative credentials, or modify database contents through sophisticated attack chains. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which classifies it as a cross-site scripting weakness, specifically targeting the improper neutralization of input during web page generation. Attackers can exploit these flaws to execute malicious JavaScript in the context of the victim's browser, potentially leading to complete compromise of the phpMyAdmin session and underlying database access. The attack requires only authentication to the phpMyAdmin interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained legitimate access credentials. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which covers credential access through phishing with a malicious document, though in this case the attack vector is through authenticated session manipulation rather than credential theft.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to phpMyAdmin versions 4.4.15.5 or 4.5.5.1 which contain the necessary patches to address these XSS vulnerabilities. The mitigation strategy should include implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms across all user-controllable parameters in the affected scripts. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious activity in database administration interfaces, particularly around the affected normalization, structure, and central columns pages. Network segmentation and privileged access controls can help limit the potential impact if an attacker successfully exploits these vulnerabilities, while regular security assessments should verify that all phpMyAdmin installations are properly patched and that no legacy versions remain in production environments. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date web application security practices and the potential consequences of failing to apply security patches in database management interfaces.