Joomla\!Application · Joomla
CVE-2011-4911
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 · uneditedJoomla! before 1.5.12 does not perform a JEXEC check in unspecified files, which allows remote attackers to obtain the installation path via unspecified vectors.
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 · moderate confidenceJoomla! before version 1.5.12 fails to include the JEXEC access control check in certain PHP files, which allows remote attackers to directly access those files and potentially discover the application's installation path. This information disclosure could aid further attacks against the system.
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
Joomla\!Application
<= 1.5.11= 1.5.0= 1.5.1= 1.5.2= 1.5.3= 1.5.4= 1.5.5= 1.5.6= 1.5.7= 1.5.8= 1.5.9= 1.5.10CVSS 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
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
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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Determine installed Joomla versionLocate the version file in your Joomla installation, typically at /includes/version.php or /administrator/manifests/files/joomla.xml, and read the defined version constantAffected if The version is 1.5.11 or lower (1.5.0 through 1.5.11)
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Locate PHP files lacking JEXEC checkSearch the Joomla installation directory for PHP files that do not contain the string 'defined('_JEXEC') or die;' at the beginning. Common directories to inspect include /includes/, /libraries/, and /components/. Use a command like: grep -r "^<?php" --include="*.php" /path/to/joomla | head -20 to list PHP files, then manually inspect a sample for the JEXEC checkAffected if Any PHP file in the Joomla directory is missing the 'defined('_JEXEC') or die;' check near its start
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Test direct file accessibilityAttempt to access a known vulnerable file directly via HTTP request (for example, request a PHP file from /includes/ that you verified lacks the JEXEC check). If the file executes and returns output instead of being blocked, the installation path may be disclosedAffected if Direct HTTP requests to unprotected PHP files execute and reveal information about the server environment or installation path
You are affected if your Joomla version is 1.5.11 or lower, or if any PHP files in your installation lack the 'defined('_JEXEC') or die;' protection check.
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 dataUpgrade to Joomla! 1.5.12 or later (noting Joomla! 1.5 is end-of-life since 2012, migration to a supported version is strongly recommended). If upgrading is not possible, manually audit and add 'defined('_JEXEC') or die;' to all PHP files in the installation.
Fix this in Joomla\!
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,240.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-4911 — 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-2011-4911 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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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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