HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-7790
CRITICAL

CVE-2016-7790

CWE-20Published: January 12, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Exponent CMS 2.3.9 suffers from a remote code execution vulnerability in /install/index.php. An attacker can upload 'php' file to the website through uploader_paste.php, then overwrite /framework/conf/config.php, which leads to arbitrary code execution.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-7790 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

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 9.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

exponentcms1 product(s)
exponent cms
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
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Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttp://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/22/6
PATCHhttp://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/22/6
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93119
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93119

All References (4)

→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/22/6Exploit · Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93119Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/22/6Exploit · Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93119Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-7790
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-20
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 12, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-20)

CVE-2002-1874
10.0
CVE-2026-48316
10.0
CVE-2026-48055
10.0
CVE-2026-48281
10.0
CVE-2026-48277
10.0
CVE-2002-2236
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-7790 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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