# CVE-2009-1938: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML via database output in the frontend administrative panel, 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:** No
- **Published:** 5 Jun 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x5hg-hv2j-7wv6

## What is CVE-2009-1938?

CVE-2009-1938 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Joomla Joomla, published on 5 Jun 2009. 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 Joomla! 1.5.x through 1.5.10 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors related to database output and the frontend administrative panel.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-1938?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joomla Joomla.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-1938?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-1938 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-1938 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-1938 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Joomla! < 1.5.11 - Multiple Cross-Site Scripting / HTML Injection Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Joomla Joomla

- [CVE-2008-3225](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3225/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-1047](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1047/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-0303](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-0303/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2005-3773](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-3773/): Unspecified vulnerability in Joomla! (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-1028](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1028/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-1938 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-1938 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Joomla Joomla, published on 5 Jun 2009. 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-2009-1938 exists.

Affected product: Joomla Joomla. 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-2009-1938/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1938/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-1938
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-1938
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-1938

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1938/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.