PHP Security Advisory: CGI vulnerability in PHP version 4.3.0

2003-02-1800:00:00

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Issued on: February 17, 2003
Software: PHP/CGI version 4.3.0
Platforms: All

The PHP Group has learned of a serious security vulnerability in
the CGI SAPI of PHP version 4.3.0.

Description

PHP contains code for preventing direct access to the CGI binary with
configure option "–enable-force-cgi-redirect" and php.ini option
"cgi.force_redirect". In PHP 4.3.0 there is a bug which renders these
options useless.

NOTE: This bug does NOT affect any of the other SAPI modules.
(such as the Apache or ISAPI modules, etc.)

Impact

Anyone with access to websites hosted on a web server which employs
the CGI module may exploit this vulnerability to gain access to any file
readable by the user under which the webserver runs.

A remote attacker could also trick PHP into executing arbitrary PHP code
if attacker is able to inject the code into files accessible by the CGI.
This could be for example the web server access-logs.

Solution

The PHP Group has released a new PHP version, 4.3.1, which incorporates
a fix for the vulnerability. All users of affected PHP versions are
encouraged to upgrade to this latest version. The downloads web site at

  http://www.php.net/downloads.php

has the new 4.3.1 source tarballs, Windows binaries and source patch
from 4.3.0 available for download. You will only need to upgrade if
you're using the CGI module of PHP 4.3.0. There are no other bugfixes
contained in this release.

Workaround

None.

Credits

The PHP Group would like to thank Kosmas Skiadopoulos for discovering
this vulnerability.

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