PHPMailer up to 5.2.17 command injection

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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8.4$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in PHPMailer up to 5.2.17. It has been classified as critical. Affected is an unknown function. This manipulation causes command injection. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2016-10033. The attack is possible to be carried out remotely. Moreover, an exploit is present. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in PHPMailer up to 5.2.17. It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code block. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a command injection vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-77. The product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when it is sent to a downstream component. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently execute arbitrary code via a \" (backslash double quote) in a crafted Sender property.

The weakness was disclosed 12/25/2016 by Dawid Golunski as confirmed advisory (Website). It is possible to read the advisory at legalhackers.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2016-10033. The attack can be launched remotely. The exploitation doesn't need any form of authentication. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available. The attack technique deployed by this issue is T1202 according to MITRE ATT&CK.

A public exploit has been developed by Dawid Golunski in PHP and been published 1 days after the advisory. It is possible to download the exploit at legalhackers.com. It is declared as attacked. We expect the 0-day to have been worth approximately $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 96319 (Fedora 25 : php-PHPMailer (2016-6941d25875)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Fedora Local Security Checks. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 276376 (Fedora Security Update for php-PHPMailer (FEDORA-2016-6941d25875)). The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog lists this issue since 07/07/2025 with a due date of 07/28/2025:

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Upgrading to version 5.2.18 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (40968), Tenable (96319), SecurityFocus (BID 95108†) and SecurityTracker (ID 1037533†). Additional details are provided at isc.sans.edu. The entry VDB-94704 is pretty similar. Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Name

Version

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

Video

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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.5
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 8.4

VulDB Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Temp Score: 7.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 9.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Command injection
CWE: CWE-77 / CWE-74 / CWE-707
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Attacked
Author: Dawid Golunski
Programming Language: 🔍
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
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KEV Added: 🔍
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KEV Remediation: 🔍
KEV Ransomware: 🔍
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Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 96319
Nessus Name: Fedora 25 : php-PHPMailer (2016-6941d25875)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 801735
OpenVAS Name: Piwigo Multiple Vulnerabilities Jan17
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Saint ID: phpmailer_pwnscriptum_rce
Saint Name: PHPMailer PwnScriptum Remote Code Execution

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

MetaSploit ID: phpmailer_arg_injection.rb
MetaSploit Name: PHPMailer Sendmail Argument Injection
MetaSploit File: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍
Exploit Delay Time: 🔍

Upgrade: PHPMailer 5.2.18
Suricata ID: 2023686
Suricata Class: 🔍
Suricata Message: 🔍

Timelineinfo

12/22/2016 🔍
12/25/2016 +3 days 🔍
12/26/2016 +1 days 🔍
12/26/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/26/2016 +0 days 🔍
12/27/2016 +1 days 🔍
12/30/2016 +3 days 🔍
07/07/2025 +3111 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: FEDORA-2016-6941d25875
Researcher: Dawid Golunski
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-10033 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-10033
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-94687

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 95108
SecurityTracker: 1037533 - PHPMailer Input Validation Flaw Lets Remote Users Execute Arbitrary Code on the Target System

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Misc.: 🔍
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 12/27/2016 10:44
Updated: 07/07/2025 23:24
Changes: 12/27/2016 10:44 (54), 05/07/2017 16:51 (33), 10/12/2022 17:51 (4), 10/12/2022 17:58 (11), 10/12/2022 18:06 (2), 12/08/2024 15:05 (14), 07/07/2025 23:15 (16), 07/07/2025 23:24 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.

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