Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in PHP - CVE-2009-4017
Published: February 15, 2024 / Updated: June 13, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU110318
CSH Severity: Medium
CVSS v4: 6.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2009-4017
CWE-ID: CWE-770
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability:
Public exploit is available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a remote non-authenticated attacker to perform service disruption.
PHP before 5.2.12 and 5.3.x before 5.3.1 does not restrict the number of temporary files created when handling a multipart/form-data POST request, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource exhaustion), and makes it easier for remote attackers to exploit local file inclusion vulnerabilities, via multiple requests, related to lack of support for the max_file_uploads directive.
Affected software
PHP
Slackware Linux
php
Slackware Linux
php
How to mitigate CVE-2009-4017
Install update from vendor's website.
PHP - update to 5.3.0
php - update to 5.2.12
php - update to 5.2.12
Links to Public Exploits and PoC-codes
External References
- http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/11/20/7
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2009/Nov/228
- http://news.php.net/php.announce/79
- http://www.php.net/releases/5_3_1.php
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/11/20/2
- http://secunia.com/advisories/37482
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:305
- http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1940
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:303
- http://secunia.com/advisories/37821
- http://www.acunetix.com/blog/websecuritynews/php-multipartform-data-denial-of-service/
- http://www.php.net/releases/5_2_12.php
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3593
- http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Mar/msg00001.html
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4077
- http://secunia.com/advisories/40262
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=127680701405735&w=2
- http://secunia.com/advisories/41490
- http://www.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docId=emr_na-c02512995
- http://secunia.com/advisories/41480
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/54455
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6667
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10483
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507982/100/0/threaded