CVE-2023-5221Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Remote code injection via db_name

Published Sep 27, 2023 · Updated Sep 24, 2024

Code injection in ForU CMS through /install/index.php allows remote attackers to execute injected PHP code via a crafted db_name parameter. The installer writes generated content to data.php before validating the database request, so db_name input can terminate the intended value and inject PHP statements. Exploitation requires network reachability of the installer endpoint; successful requests can execute server-side code with the CMS process privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Code injection in ForU CMS through /install/index.php allows remote attackers to execute injected PHP code via a crafted db_name parameter. The installer writes generated content to data.php before validating the database request, so db_name input can terminate the intended value and inject PHP statements. Exploitation requires network reachability of the installer endpoint; successful requests can execute server-side code with the CMS process privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-5221
Published
Sep 27, 2023
Updated
Sep 24, 2024
Vendor
ForU
Product
ForU CMS
Classifications
CWE-94, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 24, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <*

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ForU · ForU CMSversion=0 <*

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.8VulDBAV:N/AC:L/Au:M/C:P/I:P/A:P
4.7VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo