Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-4488

Hynotech Dropbox Folder Share ≤ 1.9.7

Published
20 October 2023
Modified
08 April 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.010 60th percentile
Risk Priority 73 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-4488 is a critical-severity PHP Remote File Inclusion (CWE-98) vulnerability in Hynotech Dropbox Folder Share. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 40% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The Dropbox Folder Share for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in versions up to, and including, 1.9.7 via the editor-view.php file. This allows unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of…

more

any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where images and other “safe” file types can be uploaded and included.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1195 Supply Chain Compromise Initial Access
Adversaries may manipulate products or product delivery mechanisms prior to receipt by a final consumer for the purpose of data or system compromise.
T1176 Software Extensions Persistence
Adversaries may abuse software extensions to establish persistent access to victim systems.
T1195.001 Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools Initial Access
Adversaries may manipulate software dependencies and development tools prior to receipt by a final consumer for the purpose of data or system compromise.
T1505.004 IIS Components Persistence
Adversaries may install malicious components that run on Internet Information Services (IIS) web servers to establish persistence.
T1505.005 Terminal Services DLL Persistence
Adversaries may abuse components of Terminal Services to enable persistent access to systems.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-3025Same product: Hynotech Dropbox Folder Share
CVE-2024-4359Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-56216Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-49649Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-8252Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-13353Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-5762Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-50497Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-35629Shared CWE-829, CWE-98
CVE-2024-35650Shared CWE-829, CWE-98

Affected Assets

hynotech
dropbox folder share
≤ 1.9.7

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 6 hardening rules · 6 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V14.2.3
  • V3.5.6
  • V9.1.3
  • V15.3.2

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-829

Limiting P2P file sharing technology reduces inclusion of functionality or resources from untrusted external control spheres.

addresses: CWE-829

Enforcing installation policies prevents users from including functionality obtained from untrusted control spheres.

addresses: CWE-829

The inventory process requires identifying and recording the origin of all components, making inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres easier to detect during reviews.

addresses: CWE-829

Requiring approval and monitoring of maintenance tools prevents inclusion and execution of functionality obtained from untrusted sources.

addresses: CWE-829

Unowned portable devices represent untrusted control spheres; the prohibition prevents inclusion of functionality or data from such sources.

addresses: CWE-829

Strategy mandates assessment of third-party components and suppliers, directly reducing inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres.

addresses: CWE-829

Procedures can mandate supply-chain vetting and restrictions on functionality obtained from untrusted third-party or external control spheres.

addresses: CWE-829

Requires use of trusted sources and provenance tracking, tangibly limiting inclusion of functionality from untrusted control spheres.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

ID.RA-09 full match
prevents

Pre-acquisition integrity/authenticity checks directly prevent inclusion of untrusted code.

GV.SC-01 mostly match
prevents

Supply-chain program directly governs inclusion of third-party executable code.

GV.SC-05 mostly match
prevents

Contractual requirements can mandate trusted sources and integrity checks for included functionality.

GV.SC-07 mostly match
prevents

Supplier risk assessment explicitly covers risks from their products and libraries.

ID.RA-10 mostly match
prevents

Critical-supplier assessment reduces risk of importing executable functionality from untrusted parties.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices such as input validation and allow-listing of include paths directly prevent the weakness.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

prevents

By requiring suppliers to propagate security requirements and to disclose component provenance, the control limits the inclusion of functionality obtained from untrusted third-party sources without oversight.

finds

Security testing can detect RFI but does not prevent the weakness by itself.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and safe include/require patterns that directly prevent remote file inclusion.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against injection and unsafe file operations.

prevents

Secure architecture principles reduce attack surface but do not specifically address dynamic file inclusion.

prevents

Secure coding standards directly require whitelisting and sanitization of filenames used in include/require statements.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248635 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive OL 8 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the user's home directory. prevents CWE-829
Oracle Linux 9 (1 rule)
  • V-271847 OL 9 must be configured so that executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 7 (1 rule)
  • V-204477 The Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system must be configured so that all local interactive user initialization files executable search paths contain only paths that resolve to the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 8 (1 rule)
  • V-230317 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive RHEL 8 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
RHEL 9 (1 rule)
  • V-258050 Executable search paths within the initialization files of all local interactive RHEL 9 users must only contain paths that resolve to the system default or the users home directory. prevents CWE-829
Windows 10 (1 rule)
  • V-220737 Administrative accounts must not be used with applications that access the Internet, such as web browsers, or with potential Internet sources, such as email. prevents CWE-829

References