# CVE-2011-4909: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the HTTP_REFERER header, potentially leading to session hijacking or malicious actions.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Oct 2012
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jmmr-9v33-pfw8

## What is CVE-2011-4909?

CVE-2011-4909 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 7 Oct 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in Joomla! before 1.5.12 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the HTTP_REFERER header to (1) components/com_content/views/article/tmpl/form.php, (2) components/com_user/controller.php, (3) plugins/system/legacy/html.php, or (4) templates/beez/html/com_content/article/form.php.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-4909?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Joomla Joomla\!.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-4909?

No fix has been published for CVE-2011-4909 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2011-4909 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2011-4909 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Joomla! 1.5.x - Cross-Site Scripting / Information Disclosure (exploitdb)

## 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-2011-4909 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-4909 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Joomla Joomla\!, published on 7 Oct 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, 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-2011-4909 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-2011-4909/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4909/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-4909
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-4909
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-4909

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4909/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.