CVE-2004-1148
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedphpMyAdmin before 2.6.1, when configured with UploadDir functionality, allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the sql_localfile parameter.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidencephpMyAdmin before version 2.6.1 contains a path traversal vulnerability in the UploadDir functionality. The sql_localfile parameter is not properly sanitized, allowing remote attackers to read arbitrary files from the server file system.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 2.4.0= 2.5.0= 2.5.1= 2.5.2= 2.5.4= 2.5.5= 2.5.5_pl1= 2.5.5_rc1= 2.5.5_rc2= 2.5.6_rc1= 2.5.7= 2.5.7_pl1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify phpMyAdmin versionCheck the version file in your phpMyAdmin installation directory (e.g., VERSION file, or look at the login page footer). Common paths include /var/www/html/phpMyAdmin/ or /usr/share/phpMyAdmin/Affected if The installed version is 2.4.0, 2.5.0, 2.5.1, 2.5.2, 2.5.4, 2.5.5, 2.5.5_pl1, 2.5.5_rc1, 2.5.5_rc2, 2.5.6_rc1, 2.5.7, or 2.5.7_pl1 (any version before 2.6.1)
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Locate phpMyAdmin configuration fileFind the config.inc.php file in your phpMyAdmin installation directoryAffected if The config file exists and contains configuration settings
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Check if UploadDir feature is enabledOpen config.inc.php and search for the configuration directive $cfg['UploadDir']. Check if it is set to a non-empty path value (e.g., $cfg['UploadDir'] = '/path/to/upload/';)Affected if UploadDir is configured with a non-empty directory path, enabling the vulnerable functionality
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Verify sql_localfile parameter handlingExamine the phpMyAdmin source file that handles SQL import (typically import.php or a related file in the libraries directory). Look for how the sql_localfile parameter is processed without proper sanitizationAffected if The UploadDir feature is enabled AND the code does not sanitize the sql_localfile parameter before using it in file operations
Your environment is affected if phpMyAdmin version is 2.4.0 through 2.5.7_pl1 AND the UploadDir feature ($cfg['UploadDir']) is configured with a non-empty path, allowing unauthenticated path traversal via the sql_localfile parameter.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade phpMyAdmin to version 2.6.1 or later, or disable the UploadDir functionality if not required. Alternatively, migrate to a supported, current version of phpMyAdmin.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2004-1148 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2004-1148 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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