CVE-2016-6626 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. An attacker could redirect a user to a malicious web page. All 4.6.x versions (prior to 4.6.4), 4.4.x versions (prior to 4.4.15.8), and 4.0.x versions (prior to 4.0.10.17) are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6626 represents a critical security flaw in phpMyAdmin, a widely used web-based database management tool that serves as the de facto standard interface for managing mysql and mariadb databases across countless web applications and hosting environments. This vulnerability manifests as an insecure redirection mechanism that allows attackers to manipulate user navigation and potentially execute social engineering attacks against unsuspecting administrators. The flaw specifically affects versions of phpMyAdmin that were in active use during 2016, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on these older versions for database administration tasks. The vulnerability has been classified under CWE-601 as an open redirect vulnerability, which falls under the broader category of insecure direct object references and represents a well-documented weakness in web application security architectures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of redirect parameters within phpMyAdmin's authentication and navigation components. When users attempt to access the application, the system processes redirect URLs without proper sanitization or validation of the target destinations. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious URLs that contain crafted redirect parameters, which when clicked by an authenticated user, will redirect them to attacker-controlled domains. The flaw exists in the application's handling of the 'url' parameter used during authentication flows and various navigation operations. This weakness enables attackers to create phishing pages that appear legitimate to users who are already authenticated within the phpMyAdmin interface, potentially leading to credential theft or further exploitation of the compromised administrative session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, as it creates opportunities for sophisticated social engineering campaigns and privilege escalation attacks. Administrators who visit malicious links while logged into phpMyAdmin could be redirected to phishing sites designed to capture their credentials or deploy malicious payloads. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where phpMyAdmin is used for critical database administration tasks, as successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized database access, data manipulation, or complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform reconnaissance activities, gather sensitive information about database structures, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The risk is compounded by the fact that many organizations maintain legacy systems running these vulnerable versions, creating extended attack surfaces that remain unpatched for extended periods.
Organizations affected by CVE-2016-6626 should prioritize immediate remediation through version upgrades to phpMyAdmin 4.6.4, 4.4.15.8, or 4.0.10.17, respectively, depending on their current installation. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious redirect patterns and conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify potentially compromised systems. The mitigation strategy should include mandatory security updates across all phpMyAdmin installations, along with network segmentation to limit exposure of database administration interfaces. Additionally, organizations should enhance their security awareness training programs to educate administrators about recognizing phishing attempts and suspicious URL patterns. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566 (Phishing) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) techniques, as attackers can use the redirect functionality to establish malicious communication channels and social engineering campaigns. The vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of input validation and secure coding practices, as proper parameter sanitization would have prevented the exploitation of this redirect mechanism.