# CVE-2008-0193: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the backup parameter in the wp-db-backup plugin, potentially compromising user sessions.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Jan 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-0193, GHSA-2q33-97fp-mrjr

## What is CVE-2008-0193?

CVE-2008-0193 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 10 Jan 2008. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in wp-db-backup.php in WordPress 2.0.11 and earlier, and possibly 2.1.x through 2.3.x, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the backup parameter in a wp-db-backup.php action to wp-admin/edit.php.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-0193?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Wordpress Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-0193?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-0193 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-0193 exists.

Public exploit code:

- WordPress Core 2.2.3 - '/wp-admin/edit.php?backup' Cross-Site Scripting (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Wordpress Wordpress

- [CVE-2026-63030](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-63030/): WordPress Core Interpretation Conflict (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-87902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87902/): WordPress Core Remote File Inclusion (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-60137](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-60137/): WordPress Core SQL Injection (medium 5.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-2399](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2399/): Cross-site scripting in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2400/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-0193 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-0193 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Wordpress Wordpress, published on 10 Jan 2008. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-0193 exists.

Affected product: Wordpress Wordpress. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0193/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0193/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-0193
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-0193
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-0193

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0193/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.