#VU4156 Buffer overflow in PHP - CVE-2012-2376

Vulnerability identifier: #VU4156

Vulnerability risk: Critical

CVSSv4.0: 9.3 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:A/U:Red]

CVE-ID: CVE-2012-2376

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 cause DoS conditions or execute arbitrary code on the target system.

The weakness exists due to buffer overflow in the com_print_typeinfo function. A remote attacker can send a specially crafted arguments, trigger incorrect handling of COM object VARIANT types and cause the target application to crash or execute arbitrary code with privileges of the current user.

Successful exploitation of the vulnerability results in denial of service or arbitrary code execution on the vulnerable system.

Note: the vulnerability was being actively exploited.

Mitigation
Install update from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

PHP: 4.4.2, 5, 5.0 - 5.0.5, 5.1 - 5.1.5, 5.2.0 - 5.2.17, 5.3.0 - 5.3.27, 5.4.0 - 5.4.2

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External links
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=823464
https://isc.sans.edu/diary/PHP+5.4+Exploit+PoC+in+the+wild/13255
https://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/05/20/2

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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?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability. However, a fully functional exploit for this vulnerability is available.