If you’re blocked from accessing /phpmyadmin , try:
7.9. Use Read-Only or Limited Interfaces for Routine Tasks phpmyadmin hacktricks
Older versions of phpMyAdmin are famous for LFI vulnerabilities. If you’re blocked from accessing /phpmyadmin , try: 7
Many installations use default credentials. Test combinations like: root / (blank) root / root admin / password Test combinations like: root / (blank) root /
Beyond authentication, a more dangerous class of tricks exploits the tool’s legitimate features. If an attacker successfully logs in, they do not immediately dump tables; they think laterally. For instance, using INTO OUTFILE or INTO DUMPFILE SQL commands, an attacker can write a malicious PHP web shell directly onto the web server. The trick is to find the server’s web root directory (e.g., /var/www/html/ ) and execute a query like: SELECT "<?php system($_GET['cmd']); ?>" INTO OUTFILE "/var/www/html/shell.php" . Suddenly, the database management tool becomes a launchpad for remote code execution (RCE). Defenders can mitigate this by ensuring the MySQL user does not have FILE privilege, configuring the secure_file_priv directive to restrict file operations to a safe directory, and properly separating database and web server permissions.
Check for publicly accessible files like /README , /ChangeLog , or /Documentation.html .