How severe is CVE-2008-6540?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2008-6540 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2008-6540?

CVE-2008-6540 affects the following packages: DotNetNuke.Core (NuGet). Ecosystems affected: NuGet.

How do I fix CVE-2008-6540?

Update DotNetNuke.Core to 4.8.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2008-6540 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2008-6540 in my NuGet dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for DotNetNuke.Core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2008-6540 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

Is CVE-2008-6540 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 2 known exploit references for CVE-2008-6540, including 1 documented proof-of-concept exploit on Exploit-DB and 1 in-the-wild exploitation observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2008-6540?

CVE-2008-6540 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 2.5%, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2008-6540?

CVE-2008-6540 is classified as CWE-264 (CWE-264). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2008-6540 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2008-6540 was published on May 14, 2022 and was last updated on November 8, 2023. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

.NET NuGet

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2008-6540 — DotNetNuke.Core

CVE-2008-6540 is a CWE-264 vulnerability in DotNetNuke.Core. 2 public exploit or proof-of-concept references are indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for DotNetNuke.Core — see the affected versions and patch details below.

DotNetNuke Default Machine Key Exposure

Published

May 14, 2022

Updated

Nov 8, 2023

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

2 known

Exploitation data as of Nov 7, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

2.5%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs85th percentile — riskier than 85% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

.NETDotNetNuke.Core

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects NuGet packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

DotNetNuke before 4.8.2, during installation or upgrade, does not warn the administrator when the default (1) ValidationKey and (2) DecryptionKey values cannot be modified in the web.config file, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by using the default keys.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
.NETNuGet	`DotNetNuke.Core`	all versions	4.8.2`dotnet add package DotNetNuke.Core --version 4.8.2`

Affected Products

1 product · 17 configurations

Application

dotnetnukednnsoftware

≤ 4.8.1

16 versions

1.0.61.0.71.0.81.0.91.0.10d1.0.10e2.1.12.1.23.0.73.0.83.0.113.1.0

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

EDB-31465remotewindows✓ Verified

DotNetNuke 4.8.1 - Default 'ValidationKey' and 'DecriptionKey' Weak Encryption

by Brian Holyfield · Mar 21, 2008

Exploit-DB Source

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for DotNetNuke.Core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update DotNetNuke.Core to 4.8.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2008-6540 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.