---
title: "CVE-2016-6631\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-6631?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-6631

Publication date 11 December 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**High**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.5 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-6631?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in phpMyAdmin. A user can execute a remote code
execution attack against a server when phpMyAdmin is being run as a CGI
application. Under certain server configurations, a user can pass a query
string which is executed as a command-line argument by the file
generator\_plugin.sh. All 4.6.x versions (prior to 4.6.4), 4.4.x versions
(prior to 4.4.15.8), and 4.0.x versions (prior to 4.0.10.17) are affected.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that phpmyadmin incorrectly handled request query
strings. An attacker could possibly use this to execute arbitrary code.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| phpmyadmin | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 4:4.5.4.1-2ubuntu2.1 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 4:4.0.10-1ubuntu0.1 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-6631?format=md#patch-details)

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| phpmyadmin | * Upstream:   [0a3c6d3](https://github.com/phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin/commit/0a3c6d3) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.5 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | High |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.5 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-6631)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-6631)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-6631)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-6631)

### Other references

* <http://www.phpmyadmin.net/security/PMASA-2016-54/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-6631>