# CVE-2008-6171: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via the HTTP Host header in Drupal when IP-based virtual hosts are enabled.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Feb 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** CVE-2008-6176, GHSA-xhmx-mwfm-vrhx

## What is CVE-2008-6171?

CVE-2008-6171 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Drupal Drupal, published on 19 Feb 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

includes/bootstrap.inc in Drupal 5.x before 5.12 and 6.x before 6.6, when the server is configured for "IP-based virtual hosts," allows remote attackers to include and execute arbitrary files via the HTTP Host header.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), CWE-16

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-6171?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Drupal Drupal.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-6171?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-6171 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-6171 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-6171 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Drupal Drupal

- [CVE-2026-9082](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-9082/): Drupal Core SQL Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-13671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13671/): Drupal core Un-restricted Upload of File (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-6340](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-6340/): Drupal Core Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-3352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3352/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-55636](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-55636/): Drupal core - Less critical - Gadget chain - SA-CORE-2024-006 (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-6171 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-6171 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Drupal Drupal, published on 19 Feb 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-6171 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Drupal Drupal. 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-2008-6171/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-6171/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-6171
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-6171
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-6171

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-6171/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.