Assessment
Why it matters
CISA lists this vulnerability as known to be exploited; exploitation is confirmed; EPSS is 99.7%; technical severity is CVSS 9.8.
The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently execute arbitrary code via a \" (backslash double quote) in a crafted Sender property.
Who should care
- Teams operating Joomla!, PHPMailer, Phpmailer +1 more
- Vulnerability and exposure management teams
- Security operations teams monitoring exploitation activity
Response plan
What I would do
- Confirm whether Joomla!, PHPMailer, Phpmailer +1 more is present in the environment.
- Identify affected versions and establish whether vulnerable services are exposed or reachable.
- Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- Review relevant security telemetry for evidence of attempted or successful exploitation.
- Document the remediation decision and track it to verified completion.
Vendor remediation
Patch and remediation links
Use the vendor source below to confirm the correct fixed version, package or mitigation for your affected product.
Technical details
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CWE
- CWE-77
- Affected versions
- Joomla! Joomla! (Start Including: 1.5.0, End Including: 3.6.5); PHP PHPMailer; Phpmailer Project Phpmailer (End Excluding: 5.2.18); WordPress Wordpress (End Including: 4.7)
- Published
- 30 December 2016
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
Signal timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
- Latest EPSS score: 99.7%
- Signal calculated at 85
External references
- Government advisory from www.cisa.gov
- Exploit information from packetstormsecurity.com
- Exploit information from packetstormsecurity.com
- Exploit information from www.rapid7.com
- Third-party advisory from www.securityfocus.com
- Exploit information from www.securityfocus.com
- Third-party advisory from www.securitytracker.com
- Third-party advisory from developer.joomla.org
- Third-party advisory from www.drupal.org
- Exploit information from www.exploit-db.com
- Exploit information from www.exploit-db.com
- Exploit information from www.exploit-db.com