The simplexml_load_string function in the XML import plug-in (libraries/import/xml.php) in phpMyAdmin 3.4.x before 3.4.7.1 and 3.3.x before 3.3.10.5 allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files via XML data containing external entity references, aka an XML external entity (XXE) injection attack.
This vulnerability carries a MEDIUM severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), for affected systems. Impacting 3 products from phpmyadmin, from fedoraproject, from debian organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Documented in 2011, this vulnerability occurred amid the cloud computing expansion era, where traditional network perimeter security models were being reevaluated. Organizations were transitioning from isolated infrastructure to interconnected systems, creating new attack surfaces that vulnerabilities like this could exploit.
2011-11-17T19:55:01.517
2025-04-11T00:51:21.963
Deferred
CVSSv3.1: 6.5 (MEDIUM)
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
8.6
2.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | phpmyadmin | phpmyadmin | < 3.3.10.5 | Yes |
| Application | phpmyadmin | phpmyadmin | < 3.4.7.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 14 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 15 | Yes |
| Operating System | fedoraproject | fedora | 16 | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 5.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For phpmyadmin's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.