CVE-2020-11441 in phpMyAdmin
Summary
by MITRE
phpMyAdmin 5.0.2 allows CRLF injection, as demonstrated by %0D%0Astring%0D%0A inputs to login form fields causing CRLF sequences to be reflected on an error page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-11441 affects phpMyAdmin version 5.0.2 and represents a critical cross-site scripting and CRLF injection flaw that can be exploited through login form fields. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's authentication handling process. The flaw specifically manifests when maliciously crafted CRLF sequences are submitted through the login form, where %0D%0A represents carriage return and line feed characters in URL encoding. When these sequences are processed and reflected in error pages, they create conditions that enable attackers to manipulate HTTP headers and inject malicious content into the application's responses.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs at the application layer where user input is not properly sanitized before being processed and displayed in error contexts. The CRLF injection allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTTP headers and manipulate the response structure, potentially enabling session hijacking, cross-site scripting attacks, or header injection techniques. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the authentication mechanism itself, which is a core component of any web application security posture. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that malicious input is directly echoed back in error messages, providing attackers with a clear injection vector. According to CWE standards, this maps to CWE-113, which describes improper neutralization of CRLF sequences in HTTP headers, and CWE-79, which covers cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-11441 extends beyond simple data theft or session manipulation. Attackers can potentially redirect users to malicious sites, inject malicious scripts into the browser context, or manipulate application behavior through header injection attacks. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security controls of phpMyAdmin, which is widely used for database administration across numerous organizations. This exposure creates opportunities for attackers to escalate privileges, access sensitive database information, or use the compromised interface as a foothold for further network penetration. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal user interaction beyond accessing the login page, making it suitable for automated exploitation campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening measures. The primary solution involves updating phpMyAdmin to version 5.0.3 or later, where the CRLF injection vulnerabilities have been properly addressed through enhanced input sanitization and validation. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation that strips or encodes CRLF sequences from all user-supplied data, particularly in authentication contexts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though they should not be relied upon as the sole remediation. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous HTTP header patterns and unusual login attempt behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices, specifically those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and the ATT&CK framework's methodology for identifying and mitigating injection vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other application components or related systems.