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CVE-2012-1823

sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.12 and 5.4.x before 5.4.2, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that lack an = (equals sign) character, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by placing command-line options i…

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sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.12 and 5.4.x before 5.4.2, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that lack an = (equals sign) character, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by placing command-line options in the query string, related to lack of skipping a certain php_getopt for the 'd' case.
CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) KEV: KNOWN CATALOG

Attention and evidence

HYPE SCORE
1.6/10
REALITY · THREAT PRIORITY
9.0/10
General review priority; not probability

Evidence confidence: Exploitation recorded

Why this priority?
  • Recorded exploitation baseline: +7.00
  • Technical severity: CVSS 9.8: +1.47
  • Fresh EPSS: 100.00%: +0.50

General review priority, not probability, victim count or asset-specific risk. A range covers missing CVSS/EPSS inputs within the current evidence state.

Sources: 13 documents and public datasets.

Hype components

Headline sample (25%)
50/100
Press, 30 days (60%)
5/100
Grounded branding (15%)
0/100
HYPE TOTAL16/100

Sources and documents

Tenable Blog
Press · 21 Oct 2026, 09:01 · php2shell (CVE-2026-109618, CVE-2026-109619): Frequently asked questions about critical PHP remote code execution vulnerabilities
Security Affairs
Press · 10 Mar 2025, 07:00 · Experts warn of mass exploitation of critical PHP flaw CVE-2024-4577 - Security Affairs
Bitsight
Press · 07 Jan 2025, 08:00 · CVE-2024-4577: Windows Encoding Gone Wrong - Bitsight
Help Net Security
Press · 13 Jun 2024, 07:00 · PHP command injection flaw exploited to deliver ransomware (CVE-2024-4577) - Help Net Security
Field Effect
Press · 10 Jun 2024, 07:00 · Critical vulnerability discovered in PHP for Windows Servers - Field Effect
See all 13 source documents
wiz.io
Press · 10 Jun 2024, 07:00 · Critical RCE vulnerability in PHP CGI: everything you need to know - wiz.io
CCB Belgium
Press · 10 Jun 2024, 07:00 · Warning: PHP Remote Code Execution, Patch Immediately! - CCB Belgium
The Hacker News
Press · 08 Jun 2024, 07:00 · New PHP Vulnerability Exposes Windows Servers to Remote Code Execution - The Hacker News
watchTowr Labs
Press · 07 Jun 2024, 07:00 · No Way, PHP Strikes Again! (CVE-2024-4577) - watchTowr Labs
Unit 42
Press · 15 Sep 2020, 07:00 · Network Attack Trends: Attackers Leveraging High Severity and Critical Exploits (May-July 2020) - Unit 42
Rapid7
Press · 10 Jul 2013, 07:00 · Good Exploits Never Die: Return of CVE-2012-1823 - Rapid7
Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre
Press · 07 Jun 2013, 07:00 · Parallels Plesk Panel Arbitrary PHP Code Execution Vulnerability - Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre
The Hacker News
Press · 03 May 2012, 07:00 · Un-Patched PHP-CGI remote code execution vulnerability can expose Source Codes - The Hacker News

Score evolution

● Hype   ● Reality

Earlier evidence-support scores are retained in history; this chart shows only the current priority definition.

First record: hype 1.6 · reality 9.0 (2026-11-02 15:12). The curve appears once the score changes.

Public exploit evidence

4

Public exploit entries / repo candidates

Source entries and unverified repository candidates are counted separately.

Public exploit evidence
Evidence context and dated references

Reality is general threat/review priority, combining observed exploitation, CVSS severity and fresh EPSS. Evidence confidence is separate. This is not calibrated risk, a victim count or an asset-specific assessment. A range reflects missing numeric inputs.

Evidence in context

Confidence in exploitation evidence
Exploitation recorded
Priority basis
Recorded exploitation; CVSS 9.8; EPSS 100.0%
Attention, last 30 days
1 distinct story titles; 1 press documents; 1 publisher domains.
Technical potential
network access, no prior privileges, no user interaction.
Observed activity
Exploitation recorded in CISA KEV.
Known scale
Not quantified.
Evidence confidence basis
Trusted exploitation confirmation

Score evaluated: 2026-11-05 13:57:29.649545+00:00 · EPSS snapshot: 2026-11-05T12:03:04Z

Source event timeline
First press mention
03 May 2012, 07:00
Published
11 May 2012, 10:00
Added to the CISA KEV catalog
25 Mar 2022, 00:00
Latest press mention
21 Oct 2026, 09:01
Score calculated
05 Nov 2026, 13:57
PoCs on GitHub
4 repositories