Summary
ZendFramework local file inclusion vector in Zend_View::setScriptPath() and render()
Zend_View is a component that utilizes PHP as a templating language. To utilize it, you specify "script paths" that contain view scripts, and then render() view scripts by specifying subdirectories within those script paths; the output is then returned as a string value which may be cached or directly output.
Zend_View::setScriptPath() in versions up to and including 1.7.4 include a potential Local File Inclusion vulnerability. If untrusted input is used to specify the script path and/or view script itself, a malicious attacker could potentially specify a system directory and thus render a system file.
As an example, if the user-supplied string /etc/passwd or a relative path that resolved to that file, was supplied to Zend_View::render(), that file would be rendered.
Impact
Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.
GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.7.5); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849? GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in zendframework/zendframework1 (composer), affecting versions >= 1.7.0, < 1.7.5. It is fixed in 1.7.5. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
- How severe is GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849? GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of zendframework/zendframework1 are affected by GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849? zendframework/zendframework1 (composer) versions >= 1.7.0, < 1.7.5 is affected.
- Is there a fix for GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849? Yes. GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 is fixed in 1.7.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix GHSA-HX3M-959F-V849? Upgrade
zendframework/zendframework1to 1.7.5 or later.