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External Variable Modification · passage 4 of 6

Poisoning File Inclusion

2 code blocks · External Variable Modification/README.md

For testing systems you own or are authorised to test, and for defending them. Nothing here is run by this page.

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If `extract()` is combined with file inclusion, attackers can control file paths.

<?php
    $page = "config.php";
    extract($_GET);
    include "$page";
?>

**Exploitation:**

http://example.com/vuln.php?page=../../etc/passwd

Source: External Variable Modification/README.md in PayloadsAllTheThings. From PayloadsAllTheThings by Swissky and contributors. MIT License, Copyright (c) 2019 Swissky.

Every one of the 6 is a mark on the map. Named now: 1 to 6, reading order first.

  1. External Variable Modification§ 1text · README.md
  2. Methodology§ 2text · README.md
  3. Overwriting Critical Variables§ 32 code blocks · README.md
  4. Poisoning File Inclusion§ 42 code blocks · README.md
  5. Global Variable Injection§ 52 code blocks · README.md
  6. Remediations§ 61 code block · README.md

Zoom in on the map and the dots under the middle of it are named where they are.

Data as of 2026-11-14. CVE List through 2026-11-14 · EPSS of 2026-11-13 · CISA KEV checked 2026-11-14. Source: PayloadsAllTheThings by Swissky and contributors, MIT License. For authorised testing only.

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