CVE-2016-4412 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. A user can be tricked into following a link leading to phpMyAdmin, which after authentication redirects to another malicious site. The attacker must sniff the user's valid phpMyAdmin token. All 4.0.x versions (prior to 4.0.10.16) are affected.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2024
This vulnerability in phpMyAdmin represents a sophisticated session hijacking and cross-site request forgery attack vector that exploits the application's redirect functionality. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the authentication flow by crafting malicious links that appear legitimate to users while redirecting them to attacker-controlled domains after successful authentication. The vulnerability specifically targets versions 4.0.x prior to 4.0.10.16, indicating a critical flaw in the application's security architecture that could enable unauthorized access to database systems. The attack requires the attacker to intercept a valid phpMyAdmin token, which serves as the primary authentication mechanism for session management within the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of redirect parameters within the phpMyAdmin authentication flow. When users authenticate to phpMyAdmin, the application generates a token that should remain confidential and bound to the user's session. However, the flaw allows attackers to construct URLs that bypass proper validation checks, enabling redirection to malicious domains without proper user consent or awareness. This represents a classic case of insecure redirection where the application fails to verify that redirect targets are within the expected domain or that the user's intent is properly maintained. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-601 as an insecure direct object reference and CWE-120 as a buffer overflow, though the primary classification aligns with CWE-384 which covers session management flaws.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-4412 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access to database environments through legitimate authentication flows. Once authenticated, users are unknowingly redirected to malicious sites that can harvest additional credentials or deploy malware, while the original phpMyAdmin session continues to function normally. This creates a stealthy attack vector that can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where phpMyAdmin serves as a primary database administration interface. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns, compromised web applications, or social engineering tactics that trick users into clicking malicious links. Organizations using affected phpMyAdmin versions face significant risk of unauthorized database access, data exfiltration, and potential system compromise through the database layer.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on immediate version upgrades to phpMyAdmin 4.0.10.16 or later, which contain proper validation of redirect parameters and enhanced session management. Network administrators should implement strict access controls limiting phpMyAdmin exposure to trusted networks and enforce multi-factor authentication where possible. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their database administration interfaces and implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual redirect patterns or unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure redirect implementation as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically addressing techniques related to credential access and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and security headers to prevent exploitation attempts and maintain visibility into potential attack vectors targeting database administration interfaces.