CVE-2016-9857
Description
An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. XSS is possible because of a weakness in a regular expression used in some JavaScript processing. All 4.6.x versions (prior to 4.6.5), 4.4.x versions (prior to 4.4.15.9), and 4.0.x versions (prior to 4.0.10.18) are affected.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
phpMyAdmin versions 4.6.x, 4.4.x, and 4.0.x are vulnerable to cross-site scripting due to an insufficient regular expression in JavaScript processing.
Vulnerability
A cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in phpMyAdmin due to a weakness in a regular expression used in some JavaScript processing [1]. This allows an attacker to bypass input filters and inject arbitrary JavaScript code. All 4.6.x versions prior to 4.6.5, 4.4.x versions prior to 4.4.15.9, and 4.0.x versions prior to 4.0.10.18 are affected [2][3].
Exploitation
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious URL or input that is processed by the flawed regular expression, causing the injected JavaScript to execute in the victim's browser. No authentication is required, and the attack can be conducted remotely [2]. User interaction is needed (e.g., clicking a crafted link or visiting a specially crafted page).
Impact
Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the phpMyAdmin interface. This can lead to session hijacking, theft of sensitive data (such as database credentials), defacement, or other malicious actions performed under the victim's session. The vulnerability has been rated with a CVSS v3 base score of 6.1 (Medium) [1].
Mitigation
The vulnerability is fixed in phpMyAdmin versions 4.6.5, 4.4.15.9, and 4.0.10.18 [3]. Users should upgrade to these versions or later. For Gentoo Linux, the fixed version is >=dev-db/phpmyadmin-4.6.5.1 [4]. Patches for each branch are available in the phpMyAdmin repository [3]. No workarounds have been documented.
AI Insight generated on May 23, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.
Affected packages
Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.
| Package | Affected versions | Patched versions |
|---|---|---|
phpmyadmin/phpmyadminPackagist | >= 4.6, < 4.6.5 | 4.6.5 |
phpmyadmin/phpmyadminPackagist | >= 4.4, < 4.4.15.9 | 4.4.15.9 |
phpmyadmin/phpmyadminPackagist | >= 4.0, < 4.0.10.18 | 4.0.10.18 |
Affected products
66cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*+ 63 more
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.10.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.13.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.14.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.15.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.4.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- cpe:2.3:a:phpmyadmin:phpmyadmin:4.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
- (no CPE)range: <4.6.5, <4.4.15.9, <4.0.10.18
- ghsa-coords2 versions
>= 4.6, < 4.6.5+ 1 more
- (no CPE)range: >= 4.6, < 4.6.5
- (no CPE)range: < 4.6.5.2-1.1
Patches
0No patches discovered yet.
Vulnerability mechanics
AI mechanics synthesis has not run for this CVE yet.
References
6- www.phpmyadmin.net/security/PMASA-2016-64nvdPatchVendor AdvisoryWEB
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/94530nvdThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-hmmx-wxh4-9w8wghsaADVISORY
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-9857ghsaADVISORY
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-32nvdWEB
- web.archive.org/web/20210123194716/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94530ghsaWEB
News mentions
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