CVE-2017-1000014 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyAdmin 4.0, 4.4, and 4.6 are vulnerable to a DOS weakness in the table editing functionality
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000014 represents a denial of service weakness affecting phpMyAdmin versions 4.0, 4.4, and 4.6 within the table editing functionality. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and resource management during the processing of table data modifications, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically manifests when users attempt to edit database tables through the phpMyAdmin interface, where malformed or excessively large data inputs can trigger system resource exhaustion or application crashes.
The technical flaw resides in the improper handling of user-supplied data during table editing operations, where phpMyAdmin fails to adequately sanitize or limit the size and complexity of input parameters. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that consume excessive memory or processing resources, leading to service disruption and potential system instability. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through web-based interfaces without requiring authentication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where phpMyAdmin is exposed to untrusted networks. The issue aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes resource exhaustion vulnerabilities, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-20, indicating improper input validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise database availability and potentially affect business continuity operations. Organizations relying on phpMyAdmin for database management may experience complete service unavailability during exploitation attempts, leading to downtime for database administrators and end-users. The vulnerability affects systems where phpMyAdmin is deployed in production environments, particularly when access controls are insufficient or when the application is exposed to external networks without proper network segmentation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform sustained denial of service attacks that may require system restarts or manual intervention to restore normal operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1000014 should prioritize immediate patching of affected phpMyAdmin versions to the latest stable releases that contain fixes for the resource handling issues. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit direct access to phpMyAdmin interfaces and deploy web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious traffic patterns. Additional protective measures include implementing rate limiting mechanisms, configuring proper input validation controls, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unusual resource consumption patterns. The remediation process should also involve comprehensive security assessments of database management interfaces and implementation of principle of least privilege access controls. Organizations should consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates and maintain inventory tracking of all phpMyAdmin installations across their infrastructure. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing robust security controls around database administration interfaces.