CVE-2016-5702 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyAdmin 4.6.x before 4.6.3, when the environment lacks a PHP_SELF value, allows remote attackers to conduct cookie-attribute injection attacks via a crafted URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5702 affects phpMyAdmin versions 4.6.x prior to 4.6.3, presenting a significant security risk related to cookie attribute handling in environments where the PHP_SELF server variable is absent. This flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious cookie attributes through carefully crafted Uniform Resource Identifiers, potentially compromising user sessions and application security. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization of URI parameters that are processed during cookie generation and assignment within the phpMyAdmin framework.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when phpMyAdmin attempts to construct cookie attributes without properly validating or escaping the URI components that are used to determine cookie parameters. In environments where the PHP_SELF variable is not set or accessible, the application falls back to alternative methods of URI parsing that do not adequately sanitize the input data. This creates an injection vector where malicious actors can manipulate URI parameters to inject arbitrary cookie attributes such as domain, path, or security flags. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the HTTP cookie level, which can lead to session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, or other cookie-based exploitation techniques that are commonly mapped to attack frameworks like the attack pattern taxonomy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple cookie manipulation, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks within web application security contexts. When attackers successfully inject malicious cookie attributes, they can potentially redirect cookie domains to malicious servers, set insecure cookie flags, or manipulate session management mechanisms that rely on proper cookie handling. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-1107, which addresses issues with cookie attribute injection in web applications, and can be categorized under the broader ATT&CK framework as a technique for maintaining access and persistence through session manipulation. The attack surface is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments or applications where phpMyAdmin is used as a database management interface, as successful exploitation could allow unauthorized access to database resources.
Organizations utilizing phpMyAdmin versions affected by CVE-2016-5702 should prioritize immediate remediation through patching to version 4.6.3 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization of URI parameters used in cookie attribute construction. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URI patterns targeting cookie injection vulnerabilities. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for anomalous cookie attributes in web server logs and implementing proper server configuration to ensure consistent availability of PHP_SELF variables where possible. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other applications or systems that might be vulnerable to similar cookie injection patterns, as this represents a common weakness in web application security architecture that aligns with established security best practices for cookie management and input validation.