# CVE-2016-10159: PHP integer overflow in phar_parse_pharfile

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-10159-php-integer-overflow-in-phar-parse-pharfile  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2017-01-24. Updated: 2026-05-13  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2016-10159 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2017-01-24

A vulnerability in PHP's archive handling component could allow an attacker to crash a web server or exhaust its memory. By providing a specially crafted archive file (PHAR), a remote attacker can trigger a denial-of-service condition, potentially taking websites or applications offline. This affects older versions of PHP that are commonly used in legacy web environments.

Technologies: [Debian Linux](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/debian), [PHP Group PHP](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/php). Vendors: [Debian](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/debian), [PHP Group](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/php-group).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-10159 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2016-10159 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2016-10159?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 24 January 2017.

**Which products and versions are affected?** PHP Group PHP Before 5.6.30, 7.0.x before 7.0.15.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-10159?** A patch was published on 2017-01-19: Fixed in PHP 5.6.30 and 7.0.15 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2016-10159 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-10159?** Check whether you run Debian Linux or PHP Group PHP at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

An integer overflow exists in the 'phar_parse_pharfile' function within 'ext/phar/phar.c' in PHP. The vulnerability is triggered when the engine processes a PHAR archive containing a truncated manifest entry. A remote, unauthenticated attacker can exploit this by providing a malicious archive to a PHP application that performs PHAR operations, leading to an application crash or excessive memory consumption (Denial of Service). The issue was addressed in PHP versions 5.6.30 and 7.0.15.

## Affected products

- PHP Group PHP Before 5.6.30, 7.0.x before 7.0.15

## Timeline

- 2017-01-19: patched: Fixed in PHP 5.6.30 and 7.0.15
- 2017-01-24: disclosed: Initial NVD publication

## References

- [http://php.net/ChangeLog-5.php](http://php.net/ChangeLog-5.php)
- [http://php.net/ChangeLog-7.php](http://php.net/ChangeLog-7.php)
- [http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3783](http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3783)
- [http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95774](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95774)
- [http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037659](http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037659)
- [https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1296](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1296)
- [https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=73764](https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=73764)

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