Network Security, Patch/Configuration Management, Vulnerability Management

PHP update fixes arbitrary code execution flaw, 9 other bugs

The Center for Internet Security's Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) on Friday issued a security advisory urging developers to upgrade to the latest version of PHP in order to patch an arbitrary code execution vulnerability that was found in the programming language.

"PHP is prone to a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability because the application fails to properly bounds-check user-supplied data before copying it into an insufficiently sized buffer. Specifically, this issue exists in the 'mb_eregi()' function," the advisory states. "Successfully exploiting this vulnerability could allow for arbitrary code execution in the context of the affected application. Depending on the privileges associated with the application, an attacker could install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Failed exploitation could result in a denial-of-service condition."

Although there are no reports of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild, MS-ISAC assess the risk to government and business entities of all sizes to be high.

Including the aforementioned buffer overflow bug, the PHP development team's Sept. 26 release of PHP version 7.3.10 repaired 10 bugs and delivered other improvements as well.

Bradley Barth

As director of multimedia content strategy at CyberRisk Alliance, Bradley Barth develops content for online conferences, webcasts, podcasts video/multimedia projects — often serving as moderator or host. For nearly six years, he wrote and reported for SC Media as deputy editor and, before that, senior reporter. He was previously a program executive with the tech-focused PR firm Voxus. Past journalistic experience includes stints as business editor at Executive Technology, a staff writer at New York Sportscene and a freelance journalist covering travel and entertainment. In his spare time, Bradley also writes screenplays.

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