CVE-2012-5159
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 3.5.2.2, as distributed by the cdnetworks-kr-1 mirror during an unspecified time frame in 2012, contains an externally introduced modification (Trojan Horse) in server_sync.php, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via an eval injection attack.
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 confidenceThis is a supply chain compromise where a trojaned version of phpMyAdmin 3.5.2.2 was distributed through the cdnetworks-kr-1 mirror. The attacker modified server_sync.php to include malicious code that creates an eval injection vulnerability, allowing remote execution of arbitrary PHP code.
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= 3.5.2.2CVSS 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
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
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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Check installed phpMyAdmin versionOpen phpMyAdmin and look at the welcome page footer, or check the version parameter in the documentation or config file. Alternatively, examine the file ./libraries/Config.class.php for the version constant.Affected if Version is exactly 3.5.2.2 (note: other versions from other sources are NOT affected by this specific supply chain attack)
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Verify server_sync.php presenceCheck if the file server_sync.php exists in the phpMyAdmin root directory or any subdirectory. In a legitimate phpMyAdmin 3.5.2.2 installation from official sources, this file should NOT exist.Affected if The file server_sync.php exists in the installation directory
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Inspect server_sync.php for malicious codeOpen server_sync.php and search for eval() function calls containing base64_decode, or look for suspicious includes/requires pointing to external domains, or examine for obfuscated PHP code that executes dynamically.Affected if The file contains eval() statements or obfuscated code that could execute arbitrary PHP commands
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Confirm download sourceReview server logs, installation records, or download history to determine if the cdnetworks-kr-1 mirror was used to obtain this phpMyAdmin installation.Affected if The cdnetworks-kr-1 mirror was used as the download source for this phpMyAdmin installation
You are affected only if you have phpMyAdmin version 3.5.2.2 AND the server_sync.php file exists with malicious eval injection code, typically from having downloaded via the compromised cdnetworks-kr-1 mirror.
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 dataIf this specific mirror was used, immediately replace the installation with a clean version from official phpMyAdmin sources; verify all downloads using published checksums or GPG signatures going forward.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 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 $1,984.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-5159 — 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-2012-5159 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
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data