# CVE-2011-4321: Weak cryptography in n/a

> Weak random number generation in Joomla password reset allows remote attackers to take over arbitrary user accounts.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Nov 2011
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f5jw-2gp7-cm88

## What is CVE-2011-4321?

CVE-2011-4321 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 23 Nov 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The password reset functionality in Joomla! 1.5.x through 1.5.24 uses weak random numbers, which makes it easier for remote attackers to change the passwords of arbitrary users via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-310

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-4321?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joomla Joomla\!.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-4321?

No fix has been published for CVE-2011-4321 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2011-4321 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-4321 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Joomla Joomla\!

- [CVE-2016-10033](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10033/): PHPMailer Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-23752](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-23752/): Joomla! Improper Access Control (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-48902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-48902/): Joomla! Core - [20260518] - Transport encryption downgrade for password and username reset links (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-25226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-25226/): [20250401] - Joomla Framework - SQL injection vulnerability in quoteNameStr method of Database package (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-23795](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23795/): [20220303] - Core - User row are not bound to a authentication mechanism (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-4321 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-4321 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 23 Nov 2011. 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-2011-4321 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2011-4321/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4321/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-4321
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-4321
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-4321

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4321/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.