{
"id": "GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8",
"aliases": [
"CVE-2016-10045"
],
"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'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)",
"summary": "Remote code execution in PHPMailer",
"affected": [
{
"ranges": [
{
"type": "ECOSYSTEM",
"events": [
{
"introduced": "5.0.0"
},
{
"fixed": "5.2.20"
}
]
}
],
"package": {
"name": "phpmailer/phpmailer",
"ecosystem": "Packagist"
}
}
],
"modified": "2025-04-14T22:05:57Z",
"severity": [
{
"type": "CVSS_V3",
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
}
],
"published": "2020-03-05T22:09:14Z",
"references": [
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/security/advisories/GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045",
"type": "ADVISORY"
},
{
"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": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer",
"type": "PACKAGE"
},
{
"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",
"type": "WEB"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-77"
],
"severity": "CRITICAL",
"github_reviewed": true,
"nvd_published_at": "2016-12-30T19:59:00Z",
"github_reviewed_at": "2020-03-05T22:06:01Z"
}
}