PHP · PHP
CVE-2012-1823
PHP-CGI Query String Parameter Vulnerability
What it is
sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.12 and 5.4.x before 5.4.2, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that lack an = (equals sign) character, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by placing command-line options in the query string, related to lack of skipping a certain php_getopt for the 'd' case.
CISA: sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP, when configured as a CGI script, does not properly handle query strings, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Deadline for US federal agencies: April 15, 2022
- Added to the CISA list
- March 25, 2022
- Published
- May 11, 2012
- Severity
- Critical 9.8 CVSS 3.1
- Chance of attacks in the next 30 days (EPSS)
- >99.9% in the top 0.1% of all known vulnerabilities
- Weakness
- CWE-20
- More details
- NVD · CVE.org · CISA
All references (20)
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=134012830914727&w=2
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00011.html
- http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03360041
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:068
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00002.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0546.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0568.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0569.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0570.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00007.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0547.html
- http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2012/Sep/msg00004.html
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027022
- http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.4.2
- http://secunia.com/advisories/49014
- https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=61910
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/673343
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5501
- http://eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823/
- http://secunia.com/advisories/49065
More exploited flaws from PHP
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 2025 | Command Injection | PHPMailer | Critical 9.8 | 99.7% |
| Mar 25, 2022 | Buffer Overflow | FastCGI Process Manager (FPM) | High 8.7 | 99.7% |
Sources: Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA, public domain), CVE records (cve.org) and EPSS (FIRST). The chance of attacks is the EPSS estimate that someone will try to exploit the flaw in the next 30 days.