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CVE-2008-6540

Status: ModifiedMedium (5.1)—💥 Exploit

DotNetNuke before 4.8.2, during installation or upgrade, does not warn the administrator when the default (1) ValidationKey and (2) DecryptionKey values cannot be modified in the web.config file, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by using the default keys.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

💥 Public exploits

Exploit code or detection templates are publicly available. This is not the same as confirmed active exploitation (KEV), but it raises the risk: patch with priority.

Affected technologies (1)

Dnnsoftware — Dotnetnuke

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2008-6540",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 5.1,
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL",
          "accessComplexity": "HIGH",
          "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL",
          "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 6.4,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 4.9,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2009-03-30T01:30:00.327",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://osvdb.org/43720",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/29488",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.dotnetnuke.com/News/SecurityBulletins/SecurityBulletinno12/tabid/1148/Default.aspx",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/489957/100/0/threaded",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/28391",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/41399",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://osvdb.org/43720",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
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      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
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      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.dotnetnuke.com/News/SecurityBulletins/SecurityBulletinno12/tabid/1148/Default.aspx",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/489957/100/0/threaded",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/28391",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/41399",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
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      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-264"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "DotNetNuke before 4.8.2, during installation or upgrade, does not warn the administrator when the default (1) ValidationKey and (2) DecryptionKey values cannot be modified in the web.config file, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by using the default keys."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "DotNetNuke anteriores a v4.8.2, durante la instalación o actualización, no avisan al administrador que los valores (1) ValidationKey y (2) DecryptionKey  no pueden ser modificados  en el fichero web.config, lo que permite a atacantes remotos saltarse las restricciones de intento de acceso utilizando las claves por defecto.\r\n"
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-16T23:02:24.987",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
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  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}