CVE-2012-1823

Confirmed PUBLISHED

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...

PHP · PHP

Exploited in the wild PoC available

Recommended Action

Prioritize remediation. Validate affected assets and apply vendor fixes on an accelerated timeline.

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Confidence

Confirmed

Exploitation Status

Exploited in the wild

Observed in Sensors

Attempts (30d)

—

Unique Attacker IPs

—

CISA KEV

In CISA KEV

CVSS / EPSS

9.8 Critical

At a Glance

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.

metasploit php cisa nuclei_scanner

CVE Published: May 11, 2012
Exploitation Reported: Mar 25, 2022
CVSS: 9.8 Critical
EPSS: —

Remote Low complexity No user interaction Unauthenticated

Affected Versions

Vendor	Product	Version	Status
n/a	n/a	n/a	Affected

CVE References

SSRT100856 marc.info · Vendor Advisory http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=134012830914727&w=2
SUSE-SU-2012:0604 lists.opensuse.org · Vendor Advisory http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00011...
HPSBMU02786 h20000.www2.hp.com · Vendor Advisory http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectI...
MDVSA-2012:068 mandriva.com · Vendor Advisory http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:068
openSUSE-SU-2012:0590 lists.opensuse.org · Vendor Advisory http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00002...

Show 24 more references

RHSA-2012:0546 rhn.redhat.com · Vendor Advisory http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0546.html
RHSA-2012:0568 rhn.redhat.com · Vendor Advisory http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0568.html
RHSA-2012:0569 rhn.redhat.com · Vendor Advisory http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0569.html
RHSA-2012:0570 rhn.redhat.com · Vendor Advisory http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0570.html
SUSE-SU-2012:0598 lists.opensuse.org · Vendor Advisory http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00007...
RHSA-2012:0547 rhn.redhat.com · Vendor Advisory http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0547.html
APPLE-SA-2012-09-19-2 lists.apple.com · Vendor Advisory http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2012/Sep/msg00004.html
DSA-2465 debian.org · Vendor Advisory http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2465
FEDORA-2024-49aba7b305 lists.fedoraproject.org · Vendor Advisory https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40list...
FEDORA-2024-52c23ef1ec lists.fedoraproject.org · Vendor Advisory https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40list...
49014 secunia.com · Third-Party Advisory http://secunia.com/advisories/49014
VU#673343 kb.cert.org · Third-Party Advisory http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/673343
49065 secunia.com · Third-Party Advisory http://secunia.com/advisories/49065
VU#520827 kb.cert.org · Third-Party Advisory http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/520827
49085 secunia.com · Third-Party Advisory http://secunia.com/advisories/49085
49087 secunia.com · Third-Party Advisory http://secunia.com/advisories/49087
1027022 securitytracker.com · VDB Entry http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027022
[oss-security] 20240606 PHP security releases 8.3.8, 8.2.20, and 8.1.29 openwall.com · Mailing List http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/06/07/1
php.net/ChangeLog-5.php php.net · CVE Record http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.4.2
bugs.php.net/bug.php bugs.php.net · CVE Record https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=61910
support.apple.com/kb/HT5501 support.apple.com · CVE Record http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5501
eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823 eindbazen.net · CVE Record http://eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823/
bugs.php.net/patch-display.php bugs.php.net · CVE Record https://bugs.php.net/patch-display.php?bug_id=61910&patch=cgi.diff&re...
php.net/archive/2012.php php.net · CVE Record http://www.php.net/archive/2012.php#id2012-05-03-1

Recommended Actions

Prioritize remediation. Validate affected assets and apply vendor fixes on an accelerated timeline.
Check enrichment artifacts for scanner coverage and available PoCs before rolling remediation validation.
Use the Pro API to automate enrichment, telemetry, and workflow delivery for VM, SOC, and CTI pipelines.

Known Exploited Vulnerability Sources

Catalogues that list this CVE as a known exploited vulnerability.

Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the KEVIntel Pro API.

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Source	Added
CISA First	2022-03-25 00:00 UTC

Scanner Artifacts

Nuclei and Metasploit references linked to this CVE.

Scanner	Reference	Detected
Nuclei	https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2012/CVE-2012-1823.yaml	Apr 25, 2025
Metasploit	https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/multi/http/php_cgi_arg_injection.rb	Apr 28, 2025

CVSS Scores

CVSS v3.1 9.8 Critical

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v2.0 7.5 High

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Exploitation Status

Exploited in the wild

Recorded 2022-03-25 00:00:00 UTC · CISA

Proof of concept available

Recorded 2015-09-08 14:37:25 UTC · GitHub

Weaknesses (CWE)

CWE-77

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')

Scanner Integrations

Scanner	Reference	Detected
Metasploit	https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/multi/http/php_cgi_arg_injection.rb	Apr 28, 2025
Nuclei	https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2012/CVE-2012-1823.yaml	Apr 25, 2025

Potential Proof of Concepts

These PoCs are unverified and could contain malware. Use at your own risk.

JasonHobs/CVE-2012-1823-exploit-for-https-user-password-web

github · Created 2025-02-16 23:45:55 UTC · 0 stars

CVE-2012-1823 exploit for https user password website.

Jimmy01240397/CVE-2012-1823-Analyze

github · Created 2024-12-09 08:31:04 UTC · 0 stars

0xl0k1/CVE-2012-1823

github · Created 2023-08-24 11:17:51 UTC · 9 stars

PHP CGI Argument Injection.

cyberharsh/PHP_CVE-2012-1823

github · Created 2020-08-17 19:54:11 UTC · 0 stars

drone789/CVE-2012-1823

github · Created 2015-09-08 14:37:25 UTC · 1 stars

PHP CGI v5.3.12/5.4.2 Remote Code Execution

nuclei · Created Unknown

php_cgi_arg_injection

metasploit · Created Unknown

Metasploit module for CVE-2012-1823

Automate This Intelligence with the Pro API

Confidence scoring, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.

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Pro API Example

GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2012-1823

{
  "cve_id": "CVE-2012-1823",
  "title": "sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.12 and 5.4.x before 5.4.2, when configu...",
  "affected_vendor": "PHP",
  "affected_product": "PHP",
  "affected_versions": [
    { "vendor": "...", "product": "...", "status": "affected", "display_label": "..." }
  ],
  "confidence": "Confirmed",
  "cvss_score": 9.8,
  "epss_score": null,
  "exploit_status": {
    "exploited_in_the_wild": true,
    "active_exploitation_observed": false
  },
  "sensor_telemetry": { "...": "Pro API fields" },
  "proof_of_concepts": [ "..." ],
  "scanner_integrations": [ "..." ]
}

The free JSON API returns basic KEV fields only. Confidence, telemetry, and artifact enrichment require Pro API access.

CVE-2012-1823

At a Glance

Affected Versions

CVE References

Recommended Actions

Known Exploited Vulnerability Sources

Scanner Artifacts

Virtual Patch

CVSS Scores

Exploitation Status

Weaknesses (CWE)

Scanner Integrations

Potential Proof of Concepts

Timeline

Automate This Intelligence with the Pro API