Is CVE-2009-5068 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available for CVE-2009-5068, but active exploitation has not been confirmed.

Can CVE-2009-5068 be exploited remotely?

Yes. CVE-2009-5068 is exploitable remotely over the network (CVSS attack vector: Network).

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2009-5068?

CVE-2009-5068 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (HIGH).

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HIGHPOC

CVE-2009-5068

CWE-312Published: January 15, 2020· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

7.2

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

There is a file disclosure vulnerability in SMF (Simple Machines Forum) affecting versions through v2.0.3. On some configurations a SMF deployment is shared by several "co-admins" that are not trusted beyond the SMF deployment. This vulnerability allows them to read arbitrary files on the filesystem and therefore gain new privileges by reading the settings.php with the database passwords.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2009-5068 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.2.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2009-5068. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.