CVE-2020-26935 Scanner

phpMyAdmin is a widely used web-based application for managing MySQL databases, primarily utilized by web developers and database administrators. It provides a graphical interface for interacting with databases, creating, modifying, and deleting records, tables, and overall database management. phpMyAdmin is extensively used in web hosting environments and local development setups, facilitating easier database management. It supports most MySQL features, including import and export of data and managing multiple databases. The application is commonly embedded into web hosting control panels like cPanel for easier access for users. Given its comprehensive feature set, phpMyAdmin remains a key tool for database management in various web applications and environments.

SQL Injection is a severe vulnerability that allows attackers to manipulate SQL queries by injecting arbitrary SQL code through input parameters. This can lead to unauthorized data exposure, including retrieving sensitive information, modifying data, or even deleting records. Vulnerabilities like these are often exploited through crafted inputs that the application does not properly sanitize, leading to execution of unintended and potentially harmful SQL commands. Such vulnerabilities pose a significant risk to data integrity and confidentiality within an affected application or system. This specific SQL Injection vulnerability in phpMyAdmin allows attackers to exploit the application's search feature with crafted input to perform malicious SQL operations.

The vulnerability exists in phpMyAdmin's search feature, occurring due to improper processing of SQL statements. Attackers can exploit this by injecting malicious SQL code within input fields that are not properly sanitized. The specific vulnerability can be triggered through crafted SQL queries that manipulate phpMyAdmin's database interactions. Critical parameters such as 'where_clause' can be abused to concatenate untrusted data with SQL commands, leading to execution of harmful operations on the database. Successful exploitation could result in disclosure, modification, or deletion of sensitive data, causing considerable harm to the application's data security.

Exploitation of this vulnerability can have severe implications such as unauthorized access to sensitive data within the database. By executing arbitrary SQL commands, attackers might retrieve, modify, or delete critical information, leading to data breaches. An attacker could manipulate database tables, resulting in corrupted data or loss of data integrity. Additionally, it could lead to further exploitation through privilege escalation and access to administrative functionalities, expanding the attack vector. Ultimately, exploitation could result in significant operational disruptions and reputational damage for the affected organization.

REFERENCES

• https://www.phpmyadmin.net/security/PMASA-2020-6/
• https://github.com/phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin/commit/d09ab9bc9d634ad08b866d42bb8c4109869d38d2
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-26935