CVE-2012-6046 in PHP Enter
Summary
by MITRE
Static code injection vulnerability in admin/banners.php in PHP Enter allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code into horad.php via the code parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-6046 represents a critical static code injection flaw within the PHP Enter content management system, specifically targeting the administrative banner management component. This vulnerability exists in the admin/banners.php file where user-supplied input from the code parameter is not properly sanitized or validated before being processed and written to the horad.php file. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code on the target system, effectively granting them unauthorized access to the server's functionality and potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices, creating a direct path for malicious code injection into the application's runtime environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic code injection pattern where attacker-controlled data flows directly into the application's code generation process. When administrators interact with the banner management interface and provide malicious input through the code parameter, this input bypasses normal security controls and gets written to the horad.php file without proper sanitization. The injection occurs at runtime when the system processes the malicious code, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web server process. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-94, which specifically addresses "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1505.003 for "Web Shell" and T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter." The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication to exploit, as the vulnerability exists in the administrative interface that is accessible to remote users.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-6046 extends far beyond simple data compromise, as successful exploitation can result in complete system takeover and persistent backdoor access. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish web shells, exfiltrate sensitive data, modify or delete content, and potentially use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire web application, as the injected PHP code can access database credentials, application configuration files, and other sensitive system information. Organizations running vulnerable versions of PHP Enter face significant risk of data breaches, service disruption, and regulatory compliance violations. The attack surface is particularly concerning for web applications that store sensitive user information or handle financial transactions, as the vulnerability could enable unauthorized access to customer data and financial records.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-6046 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the vendor-supplied patch or upgrading to a patched version of PHP Enter that properly validates and sanitizes all user input before processing. Organizations should implement input validation at multiple layers, including client-side and server-side controls, to prevent malicious data from reaching the code generation components. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that the web server process runs with minimal required permissions and that file system access is restricted to prevent unauthorized code execution. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file modifications and code injection attempts, while regular security audits should verify that no malicious code has been injected into the system. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems can provide additional protection by monitoring for suspicious network activity originating from compromised systems. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of secure coding practices, particularly around input validation and output encoding, which are fundamental requirements in secure software development lifecycle processes and should be implemented according to industry standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.