{
"id": "GHSA-5f37-gxvh-23v6",
"aliases": [
"CVE-2016-10033"
],
"details": "### Impact\nThe `mailSend` function in the default `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.\n\n### Patches\nFixed in 5.2.18\n\n### Workarounds\nFilter and validate user input before passing it to internal functions.\n\n### References\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033\nRelated to a follow-on issue in https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045\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": "5.2.18"
}
]
}
],
"package": {
"name": "phpmailer/phpmailer",
"ecosystem": "Packagist"
}
}
],
"modified": "2025-10-22T17:33:42Z",
"severity": [
{
"type": "CVSS_V3",
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H"
}
],
"published": "2020-03-05T22:09:17Z",
"references": [
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/security/advisories/GHSA-5f37-gxvh-23v6",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033",
"type": "ADVISORY"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42024",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41996",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41962",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40974",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40970",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40968",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.drupal.org/psa-2016-004",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-10033",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10033-Vuln.html",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer",
"type": "PACKAGE"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/phpmailer/phpmailer/CVE-2016-10033.yaml",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html",
"type": "WEB"
},
{
"url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140291/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/78",
"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",
"CWE-88"
],
"severity": "CRITICAL",
"github_reviewed": true,
"nvd_published_at": "2016-12-30T19:59:00Z",
"github_reviewed_at": "2020-03-05T22:05:13Z"
}
}