HighPublic exploit

Authenticated command injection in ZPanel 10.0.0.2 htpasswd module

IdentifiersCVE-2013-10053CWE-78· Improper Neutralization of Special…

CVE-2013-10053 is a remote command execution vulnerability in ZPanel 10.0.0.2 affecting the htpasswd module. When the application creates .htaccess files, the inHTUsername field is incorporated into a system() call that invokes the host system's htpasswd binary without proper sanitization. Because attacker-controlled input is passed to a shell-relevant execution context, an authenticated user can inject shell metacharacters via the username field and cause arbitrary operating system commands to be executed on the server. The flaw does not require administrative privileges within ZPanel; any valid account in groups such as Users, Resellers, or Administrators is sufficient to reach the vulnerable functionality.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation results in arbitrary command execution on the underlying ZPanel server in the security context of the web application or associated service account. This can enable full compromise of the hosting panel environment, including modification of server files, deployment of web shells or other persistence mechanisms, access to sensitive configuration data and credentials, pivoting to hosted sites or adjacent services, and potential privilege escalation depending on local system configuration.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Restrict access to ZPanel to trusted users only and minimize the number of accounts able to use the htpasswd/.htaccess management functionality. Disable or remove the vulnerable module if it is not required. Apply strong input validation or WAF rules to block shell metacharacters in the inHTUsername parameter as a temporary control. Monitor for suspicious process creation and unexpected command execution originating from the web server or ZPanel service account, and review .htaccess management activity for abuse.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade to a fixed version if one is available from the vendor or downstream maintainers. The vulnerable code path should be corrected so that the inHTUsername field is never passed unsanitized to system(). Prefer avoiding shell invocation entirely by using safe library calls or direct process execution with properly separated arguments. If external command execution is unavoidable, strictly validate and sanitize the username input against a conservative allowlist of permitted characters and reject shell metacharacters. Review all similar code paths in ZPanel for unsafe command construction.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.

VALID 1 / 1 TOTALView more in app

zpanel_username_exec.rbMaturityWeaponizedFrameworkmetasploitVerified exploit

This repository contains a single Metasploit module exploit targeting ZPanel 10.0.0.2 on Linux (CVE-2013-10053). The exploit leverages a command injection vulnerability in the htpasswd module, where the username field is unsafely passed to a system() call. The attacker must have valid credentials for any ZPanel user account. The module performs authentication, retrieves a CSRF token, and then injects a payload via the username field to achieve remote command execution as the web server user. The code is written in Ruby and follows the standard Metasploit module structure, using the HttpClient mixin to interact with the target web application. The main endpoints involved are the ZPanel base path, the login endpoint, and the htpasswd module's CreateHTA action. The exploit is weaponized, allowing for arbitrary command execution using Metasploit's payload system.

Disclosed Jun 7, 2013rubynetwork

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

Zpanel ProjectZpanelapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

5 sources tracked across advisories and community write-ups. News coverage will land here when it surfaces.

5 SOURCESView more in app

No news coverage yet. Advisories and community discussion only.

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity5