phpMyAdmin sess_ files with chinese characters

[niatech]

Hello,

We have a reseller commenting that sess_ files are appearing in various website /tmp folders containing Chinese characters. They believe it is caused by phpMyAdmin.

Just wondering if anyone has seen this before?

Thanks

 

[Infopro]

appearing in various website /tmp folders

Can you be a bit more specific?

 

[niatech]

Sure, let me see if I can add more information. Our customer thinks these are created by phpMyAdmin, however, i'm not confident of that.

It appears as though random sess_ files are appearing in user home tmp directories and some of those sess_ files contain what looks to be chinese letters. The one sample they sent us is quite length.

In that same tmp folder are normal PMA sess_ files that contain phpMyAdmin session files.

They are looking for us to help them explain these and I did not find anything on google around this so I figured I would ask here. I'm not even sure if this is an issue or something that just needs explaining.

 

[Infopro]

While in, /home/username/tmp/ create a directory called crap and move any session files to it, out of tmp. Close File Manager, open phpMyAdmin. Close phpMyAdmin without changing anything, open File Manager again and make your way back to, /home/username/tmp/ where you should see a new session file.


Do you see any Chinese characters in that newly generated, session file?

 

[niatech]

Yes, the newly generated session file contained Chinese characters and when translated through google it looks like spam of some sort.

 

[Infopro]

You might want to take a closer look at that account and server, or hire a security professional to take a look at it for you.

You may open a ticket to cPanel Technical Support of course, but they won't be able to assist you with a compromised server if thats the case here.

Good luck with this.

 

[niatech]

Thanks,

Is there a chance that the reseller's computer is infected and sending garbage session data?

 

[Infopro]

I can't answer that properly.

 

[niatech]

Ok thanks.