CVE-2017-18264 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A vulnerability has been identified in the phpMyAdmin versions 4.0 before 4.0.10.20, 4.4.x, 4.6.x, and 4.7.0 prereleases, affecting the libraries/common.inc.php file. This vulnerability allows users without a password to authenticate, bypassing security measures.

Understanding CVE-2017-18264

This CVE involves a security issue in phpMyAdmin versions that can be exploited to allow unauthorized access.

What is CVE-2017-18264?

The vulnerability in phpMyAdmin versions 4.0 before 4.0.10.20, 4.4.x, 4.6.x, and 4.7.0 prereleases allows users without a password to authenticate, circumventing security configurations.

The Impact of CVE-2017-18264

The vulnerability enables users without passwords to access the system, even if the administrator has set restrictions disallowing this access.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-18264

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue lies in the libraries/common.inc.php file of phpMyAdmin versions, allowing users without passwords to authenticate.

Affected Systems and Versions

phpMyAdmin versions 4.0 before 4.0.10.20, 4.4.x, 4.6.x, and 4.7.0 prereleases

Exploitation Mechanism

Certain PHP versions, like version 5, can bypass the security measures imposed by $cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = false, enabling users without passwords to authenticate.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2017-18264 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update phpMyAdmin to a secure version
Implement strong password policies
Monitor user authentication closely

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and update PHP versions
Conduct security training for administrators and users
Employ multi-factor authentication where possible

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by phpMyAdmin to address this vulnerability