GHSA-4PC3-96MX-WWC8

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2020-03-05 22:09 – Updated: 2025-04-14 22:05
VLAI?
Summary
Remote code execution in PHPMailer
Details

Impact

The isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently execute arbitrary code by leveraging improper interaction between the escapeshellarg function and internal escaping performed in the mail function in PHP. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2016-10033.

This issue really emphasises that it's worth avoiding the built-in PHP mail() function entirely.

Patches

Fixed in 5.2.20

Workarounds

Send via SMTP to localhost instead of calling the mail() function.

References

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045 See also https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open a private issue in the PHPMailer project

Severity ?
9.8 (Critical)
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "Packagist",
        "name": "phpmailer/phpmailer"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "5.0.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "5.2.20"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [
    "CVE-2016-10045"
  ],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-77"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2020-03-05T22:06:01Z",
    "nvd_published_at": "2016-12-30T19:59:00Z",
    "severity": "CRITICAL"
  },
  "details": "### Impact\nThe `isMail` transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the `mail` command and consequently execute arbitrary code by leveraging improper interaction between the `escapeshellarg` function and internal escaping performed in the mail function in PHP. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2016-10033.\n\nThis issue really emphasises that it\u0026#39;s worth avoiding the built-in PHP `mail()` function entirely.\n\n### Patches\nFixed in 5.2.20\n\n### Workarounds\nSend via SMTP to localhost instead of calling the `mail()` function.\n\n### References\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045\nSee also https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open a private issue in [the PHPMailer project](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer)",
  "id": "GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8",
  "modified": "2025-04-14T22:05:57Z",
  "published": "2020-03-05T22:09:14Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/security/advisories/GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8"
    },
    {
      "type": "ADVISORY",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/phpmailer/phpmailer/CVE-2016-10045.yaml"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.20"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10045-Vuln-Patch-Bypass.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/28/1"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140286/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injection.html"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/81"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V3"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Remote code execution in PHPMailer"
}


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Sightings

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Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.



Detection rules are retrieved from Rulezet.