CVE-2007-2634 in aForum
Summary
by MITRE
PHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in common/errormsg.php in aForum 1.32 and possibly earlier, when register_globals is enabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a URL in the header parameter. NOTE: the provenance of this information is unknown; the details are obtained solely from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2634 represents a critical remote file inclusion flaw in the aForum 1.32 software system, specifically within the common/errormsg.php component. This vulnerability arises from improper input validation and insecure parameter handling mechanisms that allow malicious actors to inject arbitrary PHP code through carefully crafted URL parameters. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it leverages the dangerous PHP configuration setting register_globals, which automatically creates global variables from HTTP request parameters, thereby eliminating the need for explicit variable declaration and creating numerous attack vectors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when the application processes the header parameter in the errormsg.php file without proper sanitization or validation. When register_globals is enabled, user-supplied input becomes automatically available as global variables, making it trivial for attackers to manipulate the application's execution flow. The attacker can craft a malicious URL that includes a remote file reference in the header parameter, which gets executed as PHP code when the vulnerable script processes the request. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-88 category of Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command, and more specifically aligns with CWE-94 which covers "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and CWE-20 which addresses "Improper Input Validation".
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote code execution attacks that can result in complete system compromise, data theft, and service disruption. Attackers can leverage this flaw to upload backdoors, establish persistent access, execute arbitrary commands, and potentially escalate privileges within the affected system. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it requires only a single malicious request to exploit, making it highly attractive to automated attack tools and script kiddies. The attack vector directly maps to the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically targeting PHP-based web applications. Organizations running aForum 1.32 with register_globals enabled face immediate risk of unauthorized access and potential complete system takeover.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate exploitation and the underlying configuration issues that enable the attack. The primary recommendation involves disabling the register_globals directive in the PHP configuration, which eliminates the automatic creation of global variables from request parameters and fundamentally prevents this class of attack. Additionally, all input parameters must be properly validated and sanitized before processing, implementing strict input filtering and output encoding practices. The application should employ proper file inclusion mechanisms that use whitelisting or strict path validation rather than allowing arbitrary URL parameters to dictate file inclusion behavior. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection mechanisms to detect and block suspicious parameter values. Regular security assessments and code reviews are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications and prevent future incidents. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper configuration management, as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security principles and the ISO/IEC 27001 information security management standards.