Input validation error in PHP - CVE-2006-4020
Published: February 14, 2024 / Updated: June 12, 2025
Vulnerability identifier: #VU110479
CSH Severity: Low
CVSS v4: 4.8 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2006-4020
CWE-ID: CWE-20
Exploitation vector: Local access
Exploit availability:
Public exploit is available
Vulnerability details
The vulnerability allows a local user to read and manipulate data.
scanf.c in PHP 5.1.4 and earlier, and 4.4.3 and earlier, allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via a sscanf PHP function call that performs argument swapping, which increments an index past the end of an array and triggers a buffer over-read.
Affected software
PHP
Gentoo Linux
dev-lang/php
Gentoo Linux
dev-lang/php
How to mitigate CVE-2006-4020
Install update from vendor's website.
PHP - addressed in versions 4.4.4, 4.10, 5.1.5
dev-lang/php - update to 5.1.4-r6
dev-lang/php - update to 5.1.4-r6
Links to Public Exploits and PoC-codes
External References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/442438/30/0/threaded
- http://www.plain-text.info/sscanf_bug.txt
- http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=38322
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/19415
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21403
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2006_19_sr.html
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2006_20_sr.html
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2006:144
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21608
- http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.1.5
- http://www.php.net/release_5_1_5.php
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200608-28.xml
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21546
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21683
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2006_22_sr.html
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-342-1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21768
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2006-0669.html
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2006-0682.html
- http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2006_52_php.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22004
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22069
- http://securitytracker.com/id?1016984
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2006-221.htm
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2006-222.htm
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22440
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2006-223.htm
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2006-0688.html
- ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20061001-01-P.asc
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22538
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22487
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21847
- http://secunia.com/advisories/22039
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2006-0736.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/23247
- http://secunia.com/advisories/21467
- http://securityreason.com/securityalert/1341
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/3193
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11062