How severe is CVE-2011-1028?

CVE-2011-1028 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2011-1028 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (73rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2011-1028?

CVE-2011-1028 primarily affects Smarty. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2011-1028?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2011-1028 published?

CVE-2011-1028 was published on 2019-11-20 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2011-1028

CVE-2011-1028 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Smarty with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (73rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Smarty
Published: 2019-11-20
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The $smarty.template variable in Smarty3 allows attackers to possibly execute arbitrary PHP code via the sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2011-1028?: The $smarty.template variable in Smarty3 allows attackers to possibly execute arbitrary PHP code via the sysplugins/smarty_internal_compile_private_special_variable.php file.
How severe is CVE-2011-1028?: CVE-2011-1028 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2011-1028 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (73rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2011-1028?: CVE-2011-1028 primarily affects Smarty. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2011-1028?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2011-1028 published?: CVE-2011-1028 was published on 2019-11-20 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:smarty:smarty:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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