The most secure method is to make phpMyAdmin accessible only via a VPN or SSH tunnel . Authentication & Credential Security:

If INTO OUTFILE is blocked, use MySQL logs:

In the cybersecurity community, the HackTricks entry for phpMyAdmin is considered a for several reasons:

In the world of web application security, finding a live phpMyAdmin instance is rarely a dead end. It is, more often than not, a potential game-over. This essay explores why phpMyAdmin is a prime target, how attackers abuse its features, and the common misconfigurations that turn a useful tool into a catastrophic vulnerability.

: If the secure_file_priv variable is empty, you can write a PHP web shell directly to the web root:

For example: