# CVE-2008-5938: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary PHP code in MODx CMS via a URL parameter when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Jan 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6w3p-6vxh-3m74

## What is CVE-2008-5938?

CVE-2008-5938 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jan 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in assets/snippets/reflect/snippet.reflect.php in MODx CMS 0.9.6.2 and earlier, when magic_quotes_gpc is disabled, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a URL in the reflect_base parameter.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5938?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Modxcms Modxcms.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5938?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5938 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5938 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5938 exists.

Public exploit code:

- MODx CMS 0.9.6.2 - Remote File Inclusion / Cross-Site Scripting (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2010-1426](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1426/): SQL injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2008-7243](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-7243/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2008-5940](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5940/): SQL injection in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2007-5371](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5371/): SQL injection in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2008-0094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0094/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5938 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5938 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jan 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5938 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2008-5938/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5938/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5938
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5938
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5938

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5938/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.