CVE-2008-0289
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedPHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in view_func.php in Member Area System (MAS) 1.7 and possibly others allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code via a URL in the i parameter. NOTE: a second vector might exist via the l parameter. NOTE: as of 20080118, the vendor has disputed the set of affected versions, stating that the issue "is already fixed, for almost a year."
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceRemote file inclusion vulnerability in view_func.php of Member Area System (MAS) 1.7 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by supplying a malicious URL in the 'i' parameter (with a possible secondary vector via the 'l' parameter). The vulnerable code likely uses user-supplied input in an include/require statement without proper sanitization, enabling attackers to include remote malicious PHP files.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 1.7CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Locate view_func.php in the web rootSearch the web server's document root directories for the file 'view_func.php' which is part of the Member Area System installation. Use file system search commands like 'find' or review known web application directory structures.Affected if view_func.php exists in the web-accessible directory, indicating MAS is installed.
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Verify MAS version is 1.7 or lowerCheck for a version file in the MAS installation directory, or inspect source code comments/headers within view_func.php for version indicators. Compare the found version against the affected range.Affected if The installed version is 1.7 or any version lower than 1.7.
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Inspect view_func.php for vulnerable include patternsOpen view_func.php and search for include(), require(), include_once(), or require_once() statements that use $_GET['i'] or $_GET['l'] directly in the include path without sanitization or validation.Affected if The code contains include/require statements using the 'i' or 'l' GET parameters without proper input validation.
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Confirm the vulnerable parameters are accessibleAttempt to access view_func.php directly via HTTP request with manipulated 'i' or 'l' parameters (e.g., ?i=http://example.com/test) to verify the parameters are processed without authentication.Affected if view_func.php processes 'i' or 'l' parameters without requiring authentication.
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Check PHP allow_url_include settingReview php.ini or execute 'php -i' or 'ini_get("allow_url_include")' to determine if PHP's allow_url_include is enabled.Affected if allow_url_include is set to On, which is required for remote file inclusion to succeed.
A system is affected if MAS version 1.7 or lower is installed, view_func.php contains vulnerable include/require logic using unvalidated 'i' or 'l' parameters, and the script is accessible without authentication (with allow_url_include enabled for full RFI impact).
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataImplement strict input validation and use allowlists for the 'i' and 'l' parameters; replace dynamic includes with whitelisted file references or remove the include functionality entirely if not required. Alternatively, disable PHP's allow_url_include setting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2008-0289 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2008-0289 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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