CVE-2008-4703: SQL injection vulnerability in news.php in BosDev BosNews 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL

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HIGH 7.5DOWNGRADE

CVE-2008-4703 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.5) affecting bosnews. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

SQL injection vulnerability in news.php in BosDev BosNews 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the article parameter.

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.5 (High)
EPSS exploit chance	1.0% (top 38%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-89
Published	2008-10-23
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: bosdev

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2008-10-23 17:17 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:58 UTCUpdated Record last modified

bosdev bosnews DOWNGRADE

Affected: 4

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 4

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy bosnews || rpm -q bosnews || bosnews --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 4 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison bosnews sudo apt install bosnews=<VERSION_BEFORE_4> sudo apt-mark hold bosnews

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list bosnews sudo dnf downgrade bosnews-<VERSION_BEFORE_4> sudo dnf versionlock add bosnews

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: BosNews 4.0 - 'article' SQL Injection

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2008-4703?

bosnews: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2008-4703 being exploited?

CVE-2008-4703 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2008-4703 affect?

CVE-2008-4703 affects bosnews. Severity is high (CVSS 7.5). SQL injection vulnerability in news.php in BosDev BosNews 4.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands via the article parameter.

How urgent is CVE-2008-4703?

Priority 47/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Software pages

PHP vulnerabilities

References

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