CVE-2006-5625 in N X Wcms
Summary
by MITRE
PHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in wwwdev/nxheader.inc.php in N/X 2002 Professional Edition Web Content Management System (WCMS) 4.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a URL in the c[path] parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5625 represents a critical remote file inclusion flaw within the N/X 2002 Professional Edition Web Content Management System version 4.1 and earlier. This issue resides in the wwwdev/nxheader.inc.php file where the application fails to properly validate user-supplied input before incorporating it into file inclusion operations. The vulnerability specifically affects the c[path] parameter which is processed without adequate sanitization, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary URLs that will be executed within the context of the web server.
This remote file inclusion vulnerability maps directly to CWE-88, which describes the condition where a program processes a control variable that can be influenced by an attacker, leading to the inclusion of unintended files. The flaw operates under the principle that user input is trusted without proper validation, allowing attackers to manipulate the inclusion process to load and execute malicious PHP code from remote servers. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure direct object references and improper input validation issues that have plagued web applications for decades.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables remote code execution capabilities for attackers, allowing them to gain full control over the affected web server. An attacker can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands, upload malicious files, establish backdoors, or perform further reconnaissance within the network. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the web content management system, potentially compromising all content managed through the affected platform. Given that this was a widespread issue in 2006, many organizations were likely vulnerable to similar attacks across various web applications that employed similar file inclusion patterns without proper input validation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental issue of insecure file inclusion practices. The primary remediation involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied parameters, particularly those used in file inclusion operations. Organizations should employ allowlist-based validation where only predetermined, safe paths or filenames are accepted. Additionally, the application should be configured to disable remote file inclusion features entirely, using php.ini settings such as allow_url_fopen = Off. The implementation of proper input validation aligns with defense-in-depth principles and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, where the mitigation involves preventing the execution of untrusted code through proper parameter validation and secure coding practices. Regular security audits and code reviews should focus on identifying similar patterns that could lead to remote file inclusion vulnerabilities, ensuring that all file inclusion operations properly validate and sanitize input parameters before processing.