CVE-2009-4109 in DotNetNuke
Summary
by MITRE
The install wizard in DotNetNuke 4.0 through 5.1.4 does not prevent anonymous users from accessing functionality related to determination of the need for an upgrade, which allows remote attackers to access version information and possibly other sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-4109 resides within the installation wizard component of DotNetNuke content management systems version 4.0 through 5.1.4. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that exposes sensitive system information to unauthenticated attackers through improper access controls. The vulnerability specifically affects the upgrade determination functionality within the installation wizard, creating an information disclosure channel that can be exploited by remote adversaries without requiring any authentication credentials.
The technical implementation flaw stems from insufficient authorization checks within the installation wizard's code execution paths. When the system processes requests related to upgrade verification, it fails to properly validate whether the requesting user possesses appropriate privileges before exposing version information and related system details. This misconfiguration allows anonymous users to traverse the upgrade determination logic and retrieve sensitive metadata about the installed DotNetNuke version, potentially including database schema information, configuration details, and other system artifacts that could aid in subsequent exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can inform more sophisticated attack vectors. By obtaining version information, adversaries can identify specific DotNetNuke releases and potentially correlate this data with known vulnerabilities in that particular version range. This intelligence gathering capability enables attackers to tailor their exploitation strategies, leveraging version-specific exploits or crafting targeted attacks against known weaknesses in DotNetNuke 4.0 through 5.1.4. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to map the target environment and potentially identify additional attack surfaces within the application.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems, and represents a classic case of insufficient privilege checking in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1068, which involves exploiting local system privileges, and T1087, which covers account discovery through information gathering techniques. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of T1590, specifically the reconnaissance phase where attackers gather information about the target system before launching more targeted attacks. Organizations affected by this vulnerability face increased risk of subsequent exploitation, as the disclosed version information serves as a foundation for advanced persistent threat campaigns targeting the specific DotNetNuke version ranges.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate patching of affected DotNetNuke installations to versions that address the access control flaw in the installation wizard. Administrators should ensure that all systems running DotNetNuke 4.0 through 5.1.4 are upgraded to patched versions that properly enforce authorization checks before exposing upgrade-related functionality. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to installation wizard components, particularly in production environments where anonymous access should be completely prohibited. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other application components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper authentication and authorization mechanisms throughout the entire application lifecycle.