Race condition in PHP - CVE-2006-5178
Published: October 30, 2018 / Updated: June 8, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU110469
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4.0: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear
CVE-ID: CVE-2006-5178
CWE-ID: CWE-362
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
No public exploit available
Vendor: PHP Group
Affected software:
PHP
PHP
Detailed vulnerability description
The vulnerability allows a local user to execute arbitrary code.
Race condition in the symlink function in PHP 5.1.6 and earlier allows local users to bypass the open_basedir restriction by using a combination of symlink, mkdir, and unlink functions to change the file path after the open_basedir check and before the file is opened by the underlying system, as demonstrated by symlinking a symlink into a subdirectory, to point to a parent directory via .. (dot dot) sequences, and then unlinking the resulting symlink.
How to mitigate CVE-2006-5178
Install update from vendor's website.
Sources
- http://lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2006-October/049850.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22235
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22424
- http://securityreason.com/securityalert/1692
- http://securitytracker.com/id?1016977
- http://www.hardened-php.net/advisory_082006.132.html
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2006:185
- http://www.neosecurityteam.net/index.php?action=advisories&id=26
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/447649/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/448020/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/448953/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/20326
- http://www.turbolinux.com/security/2006/TLSA-2006-38.txt
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/3901
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/29340