#VU78978 Buffer overflow in PHP - CVE-2023-3824

Vulnerability identifier: #VU78978

Vulnerability risk: Critical

CVSSv4.0: 9.2 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:A/U:Red]

CVE-ID: CVE-2023-3824

CWE-ID: CWE-119

Exploitation vector: Network

Exploit availability: Yes

Vulnerable software:
PHP
Universal components / Libraries / Scripting languages

Vendor: PHP Group

Description

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.

The vulnerability exists due to a boundary error within the phar_dir_read() function. A remote attacker can force the application to open a specially crafted .phar archive,  trigger memory corruption and execute arbitrary code on the target system.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

PHP: 7.4 - 7.4.33, 8.0.0 - 8.0.29, 8.1.0 - 8.1.21, 8.2.0 - 8.2.8

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External links
https://www.php.net/ChangeLog-8.php#8.0.30
https://www.php.net/ChangeLog-8.php#8.1.22
https://github.com/php/php-src/security/advisories/GHSA-jqcx-ccgc-xwhv

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

Yes. This vulnerability can be exploited by a remote non-authenticated attacker via the Internet.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

Yes. This vulnerability is being exploited in the wild.