CVE-2016-5706 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
js/get_scripts.js.php in phpMyAdmin 4.0.x before 4.0.10.16, 4.4.x before 4.4.15.7, and 4.6.x before 4.6.3 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a large array in the scripts parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5706 represents a critical denial of service flaw within phpMyAdmin's JavaScript handling mechanism. This issue specifically affects versions of phpMyAdmin spanning multiple release lines including 4.0.x prior to 4.0.10.16, 4.4.x prior to 4.4.15.7, and 4.6.x prior to 4.6.3. The vulnerability resides in the js/get_scripts.js.php component which processes script requests through the scripts parameter, creating a pathway for remote attackers to exploit the system's resource handling capabilities.
The technical flaw manifests when an attacker submits a maliciously crafted array through the scripts parameter to the vulnerable phpMyAdmin endpoint. This array contains an excessive number of elements that the application fails to properly validate or limit, leading to resource exhaustion during processing. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to overwhelm the system's memory allocation and processing capabilities by feeding it an oversized data structure that the application attempts to handle without proper bounds checking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can lead to complete system unavailability for legitimate users. When exploited, the denial of service condition can cause phpMyAdmin to consume excessive memory resources and processing time, potentially leading to application crashes or system instability. This affects database administrators who rely on phpMyAdmin for routine database management tasks, as the service becomes unavailable during the attack period, potentially disrupting critical database operations and maintenance activities.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which catalogs weaknesses related to resource exhaustion, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in environments where phpMyAdmin is exposed to untrusted networks or internet-facing systems. Organizations using affected versions of phpMyAdmin should prioritize immediate patching to address this vulnerability, as the impact on system availability can severely disrupt database administration operations and potentially compromise business continuity.
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the phpMyAdmin application's JavaScript processing pipeline. The application fails to implement proper array size limits or memory constraints when handling the scripts parameter, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that exhaust system resources. This represents a classic example of insufficient resource management that can be mitigated through proper bounds checking, input sanitization, and implementation of reasonable limits on array processing operations. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to this vulnerability while applying the appropriate security patches to address the underlying code flaws that enable the attack vector.