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8.1
CVE-2026-96633: AdminNeo lets authenticated user delete any file
CVE-2026-96633 · published 5 days ago
Summary
If someone has a valid login to AdminNeo in SQLite mode, they can send a specially crafted request that makes the web server delete any file it has permission to remove. This can lead to loss of important files on the server. Require only trusted users and limit file system permissions, or upgrade to a version where the delete action is properly restricted.
What to do
- Update adminneo-org adminneo to version 5.5.1.
Affected software
| Ecosystem | Vendor | Product | Affected versions |
|---|---|---|---|
| composer | adminneo-org | adminneo |
< 5.5.1 Fix: upgrade to 5.5.1
|
Original advisory text
AdminNeo SQLite Database-List Drop Arbitrary File Deletion
## Summary
AdminNeo allows an authenticated SQLite-mode user to delete arbitrary files writable by the PHP process through the database-list drop action. The SQLite driver validates file extensions when creating or renaming databases, but the database-list drop path passes submitted `db[]` values directly to `unlink()`.
Originally reported by @slpoiuewalspoid-dotcom in Adminer: https://github.com/vrana/adminer/security/advisories/GHSA-6pg3-chwq-wgqc
## Impact
An authenticated AdminNeo SQLite user with a valid CSRF token can submit an arbitrary relative file path in the database-list `db[]` field. If the PHP process can delete that path, AdminNeo unlinks it even when the file is not a SQLite database.
## Root Cause
The database-list page accepts selected database names from the POST body and calls `drop_databases()`:
```php
if ($_POST["db"]) {
queries_redirect(substr(ME, 0, -1), lang('Databases have been dropped.'), drop_databases($_POST["db"]));
}
```
In SQLite mode, `drop_databases()` attaches an in-memory database and unlinks each submitted path directly:
```php
function drop_databases($databases): bool
{
Connection::get()->close(); // to unlock file, doesn't work in PDO on Windows
foreach ($databases as $db) {
if (!@unlink($db)) {
Connection::get()->setError(lang('File exists.'));
return false;
}
}
return true;
}
```
The same SQLite driver protects create and rename operations with `check_sqlite_name()`, which requires a `.db`, `.sdb`, or `.sqlite` extension:
```php
function check_sqlite_name($name) {
// avoid creating PHP files on unsecured servers
$extensions = "db|sdb|sqlite";
if (!preg_match("~^[^\\0]*\\.($extensions)\$~", $name)) {
Connection::get()->setError(lang('Please use one of the extensions %s.', str_replace("|", ", ", $extensions)));
return false;
}
return true;
}
```
The drop path does not apply an equivalent extension check or bind the submitted path to a known listed SQLite database.
## POC
### 1. Start a complete AdminNeo application
Build and start AdminNeo from the audited source using the official standalone Docker image shape. The validation image copies the audited source tree into `/var/www/html` and starts Nginx HTTP server.
Log in through the SQLite entry point using a SQLite database path `poc.sqlite`.
### 2. Prepare a writable target file
Place a non-database file under a location writable by the AdminNeo PHP process. The validation used:
```
/var/www/html/poc-delete-target.txt
```
The same directory also contained a SQLite database:
```
/var/www/html/poc.sqlite
```
### 3. Submit the database-list drop request
Use the authenticated session and live CSRF token, but submit the non-database path as the selected database:
```http
POST /?sqlite=&username= HTTP/1.1
Host: <adminer-host>
Cookie: <authenticated-session>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
db[]=/var/www/html/poc-delete-target.txt&all=&drop=Drop&token=<live-csrf-token>
```
The request reaches `drop_databases($_POST["db"]),` and SQLite `drop_databases()` calls `unlink()` on the submitted non-database path.
After the request, the `poc-delete-target.txt` was deleted.
## Suggested Fix
Apply the same target validation used by SQLite create/rename before deleting database files. At minimum:
- Reject paths whose basename does not end in `.db`, `.sdb`, or `.sqlite`.
- Bind `db[]` values to databases returned by AdminNeo's database listing instead of trusting submitted paths.
- Resolve paths before deletion and reject traversal outside the expected SQLite database directory.
- Consider requiring the current selected database path for delete operations instead of accepting arbitrary submitted file paths.
AdminNeo allows an authenticated SQLite-mode user to delete arbitrary files writable by the PHP process through the database-list drop action. The SQLite driver validates file extensions when creating or renaming databases, but the database-list drop path passes submitted `db[]` values directly to `unlink()`.
Originally reported by @slpoiuewalspoid-dotcom in Adminer: https://github.com/vrana/adminer/security/advisories/GHSA-6pg3-chwq-wgqc
## Impact
An authenticated AdminNeo SQLite user with a valid CSRF token can submit an arbitrary relative file path in the database-list `db[]` field. If the PHP process can delete that path, AdminNeo unlinks it even when the file is not a SQLite database.
## Root Cause
The database-list page accepts selected database names from the POST body and calls `drop_databases()`:
```php
if ($_POST["db"]) {
queries_redirect(substr(ME, 0, -1), lang('Databases have been dropped.'), drop_databases($_POST["db"]));
}
```
In SQLite mode, `drop_databases()` attaches an in-memory database and unlinks each submitted path directly:
```php
function drop_databases($databases): bool
{
Connection::get()->close(); // to unlock file, doesn't work in PDO on Windows
foreach ($databases as $db) {
if (!@unlink($db)) {
Connection::get()->setError(lang('File exists.'));
return false;
}
}
return true;
}
```
The same SQLite driver protects create and rename operations with `check_sqlite_name()`, which requires a `.db`, `.sdb`, or `.sqlite` extension:
```php
function check_sqlite_name($name) {
// avoid creating PHP files on unsecured servers
$extensions = "db|sdb|sqlite";
if (!preg_match("~^[^\\0]*\\.($extensions)\$~", $name)) {
Connection::get()->setError(lang('Please use one of the extensions %s.', str_replace("|", ", ", $extensions)));
return false;
}
return true;
}
```
The drop path does not apply an equivalent extension check or bind the submitted path to a known listed SQLite database.
## POC
### 1. Start a complete AdminNeo application
Build and start AdminNeo from the audited source using the official standalone Docker image shape. The validation image copies the audited source tree into `/var/www/html` and starts Nginx HTTP server.
Log in through the SQLite entry point using a SQLite database path `poc.sqlite`.
### 2. Prepare a writable target file
Place a non-database file under a location writable by the AdminNeo PHP process. The validation used:
```
/var/www/html/poc-delete-target.txt
```
The same directory also contained a SQLite database:
```
/var/www/html/poc.sqlite
```
### 3. Submit the database-list drop request
Use the authenticated session and live CSRF token, but submit the non-database path as the selected database:
```http
POST /?sqlite=&username= HTTP/1.1
Host: <adminer-host>
Cookie: <authenticated-session>
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
db[]=/var/www/html/poc-delete-target.txt&all=&drop=Drop&token=<live-csrf-token>
```
The request reaches `drop_databases($_POST["db"]),` and SQLite `drop_databases()` calls `unlink()` on the submitted non-database path.
After the request, the `poc-delete-target.txt` was deleted.
## Suggested Fix
Apply the same target validation used by SQLite create/rename before deleting database files. At minimum:
- Reject paths whose basename does not end in `.db`, `.sdb`, or `.sqlite`.
- Bind `db[]` values to databases returned by AdminNeo's database listing instead of trusting submitted paths.
- Resolve paths before deletion and reject traversal outside the expected SQLite database directory.
- Consider requiring the current selected database path for delete operations instead of accepting arbitrary submitted file paths.
Internet-facing
60 days
Internal
At next upgrade
- Not known to be exploited
- Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
- Gives an attacker partial control (estimated)
Type
CWE-73External Control of File Name or Path
Timeline
Published30 Oct 2026
Updated30 Oct 2026
First seen30 Oct 2026
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