Executive brief
A vulnerability in the PHP CGI binary allows remote attackers to access and read any file on the web server. This could lead to the exposure of sensitive configuration files, system passwords, and private data, potentially resulting in a full system takeover. This issue affects older web environments using the PHP Common Gateway Interface (CGI) implementation.
Technical details
The vulnerability exists in the php.cgi binary, which fails to properly restrict file access when processing requests. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the CGI script, bypassing intended access controls to read sensitive system files. This is a classic arbitrary file disclosure vulnerability resulting from improper input validation or path handling in the CGI implementation. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to view any file that the web server process has permissions to read, which often includes configuration files containing credentials.
Affected products
- PHP Group PHP Versions utilizing php.cgi (circa 1997)
Timeline
- 1997-08-01: disclosed: Initial NVD publication date