CVE-2016-10033 on CISA KEV

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.

01What CISA says about this vulnerability

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.

02Required action — verbatim from CISA

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

03Notes & references

• packetstormsecurity.com — http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injectio…
• www.drupal.org — https://www.drupal.org/psa-2016-004
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221/
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41962/
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40968/
• legalhackers.com — https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-…
• github.com — https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18
• www.securityfocus.com — http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/539963/100/0/threaded
• github.com — https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-201…
• packetstormsecurity.com — http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140291/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40974/
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986/
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40970/
• www.rapid7.com — http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41996/
• seclists.org — http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/78
• www.securityfocus.com — http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95108
• www.securitytracker.com — http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037533
• developer.joomla.org — https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-adv…
• www.exploit-db.com — https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42024/

04SARA's analyst layer — why this matters

This vulnerability is currently on the CISA KEV list, which CISA only adds CVEs to when there is reliable evidence of active exploitation in the wild. For federal civilian agencies, BOD 22-01 requires remediation by the due date above. For everyone else, KEV is the strongest "patch immediately" signal you can get from public threat intel.

05Affected products (summary)

Vendor	Product	Versions
n	a / n/a	n/a

06Detection

Open the Sigma generator with a pre-filled prompt for this CVE to draft a starting detection:

Open in Sigma generator →