[bl4k]

there are dozens of pages that have been exposed on this one server. I have no idea how the opening tag can get mangled in so many different files

[elliottcarlson]

By having a central config file that is included throughout the pages. Once included, it's not parsing it as PHP because it has the typo in it - thus showing it on all pages that include that file...

[jarin]

If the typo is in a top-level layout file or something that would happen.