CVE-2009-1151
CVE-2009-1151 is a security flaw in phpMyAdmin. Attackers can run their own code on phpMyAdmin. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 25 Mar 2022.[1]
phpMyAdmin is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff.
Description
CISA calls it a remote code execution in phpMyAdmin phpMyAdmin. In its words: “Setup script used to generate configuration can be fooled using a crafted POST request to include arbitrary PHP code in generated configuration file.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “Static code injection vulnerability in setup.php in phpMyAdmin 2.11.x before 2.11.9.5 and 3.x before 3.1.3.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code into a configuration file via the save action.”[2]
The underlying weakness is code injection (CWE-94), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it. CISA names the product as phpMyAdmin phpMyAdmin.
Most families won’t have phpMyAdmin; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 25 Mar 2022, 4,747 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 97%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[3]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.phpMyAdmin is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 15 Apr 2022 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 97%.[3] |
See also
Other code injection flaws
- CVE-2026-0322, Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS: code injection ·
- CVE-2026-65660, Microsoft SharePoint: code injection ·
- CVE-2026-60004, Gitea: code injection ·
- CVE-2026-72530, TrueConf Server: code injection ·
- CVE-2025-62593, Ray-Project Ray: code injection ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-26318, WatchGuard Firebox and XTM Appliances: arbitrary code execution ·
- CVE-2022-26143, Mitel MiCollab, MiVoice Business Express: access control ·
- CVE-2022-21999, Microsoft Windows: print spooler privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-42237, Sitecore XP: remote command execution ·
- CVE-2021-22941, Citrix ShareFile: improper access control ·
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “phpMyAdmin Remote Code Execution Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 25 Mar 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2009-1151 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 26 Mar 2009.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.966, percentile 99.9, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2009-1151”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.