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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7400 Exponentcms CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7400 is a critical SQL injection issue in Exponent CMS before version 2.4.0. The weakness affects multiple request parameters across different controller actions, which means a remote attacker could influence database queries and execute arbitrary SQL commands if the vulnerable paths are exposed. Because the CVSS base score is 9.8 and the attack vector is network-based with no authentication required, this is a high-priority remediation item for any internet-facing Exponent CMS deployment.

Vendor
Exponentcms
Product
Exponent Cms
CVSS
CRITICAL 9.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-07
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-07
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Administrators, developers, and security teams responsible for Exponent CMS instances running 2.3.9 or earlier should treat this as urgent. Any system exposing the affected controller actions should be reviewed, especially public-facing sites that process blog, address, or comment-related requests.

Technical summary

NVD describes multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities in Exponent CMS before 2.4.0 affecting the id parameter in an activate_address address controller action, the title parameter in a show blog controller action, and the content_id parameter in a showComments expComment controller action. The NVD record maps the issue to CWE-89 and rates it CVSS 3.0 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating remote exploitation without privileges or user interaction.

Defensive priority

Critical. The combination of remote reachability, no authentication requirement, and full confidentiality/integrity/availability impact makes this a top-tier patching and exposure-reduction item.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade Exponent CMS to version 2.4.0 or later as the primary remediation.
  • Identify all deployed Exponent CMS instances and confirm whether any are at or below version 2.3.9.
  • Review web application logs for suspicious requests targeting the affected controller actions and parameters.
  • Apply compensating controls for any systems that cannot be upgraded immediately, such as restricting access to the application and monitoring database activity closely.
  • Validate that custom code or extensions do not reintroduce unsafe SQL construction patterns around the affected request paths.

Evidence notes

The NVD record lists the affected version range as all Exponent CMS versions through 2.3.9 and records CWE-89 with a CVSS 3.0 score of 9.8. The reference set includes vendor and patch links, including a GitHub commit and the v2.4.0 release tag, which support the upgrade boundary. The CVE record was published on 2017-02-07, while the reference list also points to September 2016 advisory material, suggesting earlier public discussion before CVE publication.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2016-7400 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7400

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2016-7400 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7400

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.