php: proc_open() safe mode restriction bypass
Published Nov 27, 2009
7.5
HIGHCVSS 2.0
EPSS 11.34%
Description
The proc_open function in ext/standard/proc_open.c in PHP before 5.2.11 and 5.3.x before 5.3.1 does not enforce the (1) safe_mode_allowed_env_vars and (2) safe_mode_protected_env_vars directives, which allows context-dependent attackers to execute programs with an arbitrary environment via the env parameter, as demonstrated by a crafted value of the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable.
Affected products
No data.
- ≤ 5.2.10
- 1.0
- 2.0
- 2.0b10
- 3.0
- 3.0.1
- 3.0.2
- 3.0.3
- 3.0.4
- 3.0.5
- 3.0.6
- 3.0.7
- 3.0.8
- 3.0.9
- 3.0.10
- 3.0.11
- 3.0.12
- 3.0.13
- 3.0.14
- 3.0.15
- 3.0.16
- 3.0.17
- 3.0.18
- 4
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0
- 4.0.0
- 4.0.1
- 4.0.1
- 4.0.1
- 4.0.2
- 4.0.3
- 4.0.3
- 4.0.4
- 4.0.4
- 4.0.5
- 4.0.6
- 4.0.7
- 4.0.7
- 4.0.7
- 4.0.7
- 4.0.7
- 4.1.0
- 4.1.1
- 4.1.2
- 4.2
- 4.2.0
- 4.2.1
- 4.2.2
- 4.2.3
- 4.3.0
- 4.3.1
- 4.3.2
- 4.3.3
- 4.3.4
- 4.3.5
- 4.3.6
- 4.3.7
- 4.3.8
- 4.3.9
- 4.3.10
- 4.3.11
- 4.4.0
- 4.4.1
- 4.4.2
- 4.4.3
- 4.4.4
- 4.4.5
- 4.4.6
- 4.4.7
- 4.4.8
- 4.4.9
- 5
- 5.0
- 5.0
- 5.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.0
- 5.0.1
- 5.0.2
- 5.0.3
- 5.0.4
- 5.0.5
- 5.1.0
- 5.1.1
- 5.1.2
- 5.1.3
- 5.1.4
- 5.1.5
- 5.1.6
- 5.2.0
- 5.2.2
- 5.2.4
- 5.2.6
- 5.2.7
- 5.2.8
- 5.2.9
- 5.3.0
No data.
No Red Hat product state for this CVE.
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
We do not consider safe_mode / open_basedir restriction bypass issues being security sensitive. For more details see https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=169857#c1 and https://www.php.net/security-note.php
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (17 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 11.34% (0.11341) | 95.86th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 11.34% (0.11341) | 95.41th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Dec 28, 2025 | 22.31% (0.22311) | 95.63th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 18.77% (0.18769) | 95.10th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 13, 2025 | 22.31% (0.22311) | 95.61th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 28, 2025 | 17.76% (0.17760) | 94.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 27, 2025 | 18.77% (0.18769) | 95.02th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 17.76% (0.17760) | 94.91th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 30, 2025 | 18.77% (0.18769) | 95.01th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 17.76% (0.17760) | 94.59th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 25.28% (0.25279) | 93.87th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 17.76% (0.17760) | 94.62th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 2.18% (0.02178) | 89.78th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 2.18% (0.02178) | 87.59th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 12.57% (0.12567) | 95.52th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 12.57% (0.12567) | 95.18th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 12.57% (0.12567) | 90.03th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (20)
- http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=49026 x_refsource_CONFIRMExploitPatch
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=127680701405735&w=2 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_HP
- http://marc.info/?l=oss-security&m=125886770008678&w=2 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch
- http://marc.info/?l=oss-security&m=125897935330618&w=2 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch
- http://secunia.com/advisories/40262 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIA
- http://secunia.com/advisories/41480 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIA
- http://secunia.com/advisories/41490 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIA
- http://svn.php.net/viewvc/?view=revision&revision=286360 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- http://svn.php.net/viewvc/php/php-src/branches/PHP_5_2/ext/standard/proc_open.c?r1=286360&r2=286359&pathrev=286360 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- http://svn.php.net/viewvc/php/php-src/branches/PHP_5_3/ext/standard/proc_open.c?r1=286360&r2=286359&pathrev=286360 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- http://www.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docId=emr_na-c02512995 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_HP
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:303 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_MANDRIVA
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/11/23/15 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch
- http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37138 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-4018 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=541239 Issue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4018
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A7256 vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVAL
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4018
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.