AEGLIX vulnerability intelligence
CVE-2016-10033
CRITICAL · CVSS 9.8 · Analyzed
Published: 2016-12-30 · Updated: 2026-06-17 · Source: NVD
Vulnerability overview
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.
Severity and scoring
- CVSS score
- 9.8 · CRITICAL
- CVSS version
- 3.1
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weaknesses
- CWE-88
CVSS measures technical severity; it does not establish whether this vulnerability is being exploited in your environment.
Known exploitation and remediation
Listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
- Affected product
- PHP · PHPMailer
- Added to catalog
- 2025-07-07
- Required action
- Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA remediation due date
- 2025-07-28
CISA deadlines apply to the organizations covered by its directives. Confirm your own remediation requirements.
Verify affected versions and patch availability in the vendor advisory before making changes.
Affected products and versions
cpe:2.3:a:phpmailer_project:phpmailer:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Before (exclusive): 5.2.18
cpe:2.3:a:wordpress:wordpress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Through (inclusive): 4.7
cpe:2.3:a:joomla:joomla\!:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
From (inclusive): 1.5.0
Through (inclusive): 3.6.5
These are NVD CPE applicability entries. Some products depend on configuration conditions; consult the official record to confirm applicability.
Advisories and references
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140291/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injection.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/78
Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
- http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection
Exploit · Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/539963/100/0/threaded
Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95108
Broken Link · Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037533
Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html
Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18
Patch · Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities
Patch · Vendor Advisory
- https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10033-Vuln.html
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory
- https://www.drupal.org/psa-2016-004
Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40968/
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40970/
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40974/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41962/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41996/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42024/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140291/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injection.html
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/78
Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
- http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection
Exploit · Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/539963/100/0/threaded
Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95108
Broken Link · Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037533
Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html
Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18
Patch · Vendor Advisory
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities
Patch · Vendor Advisory
- https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10033-Vuln.html
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory
- https://www.drupal.org/psa-2016-004
Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40968/
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40970/
Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40974/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41962/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41996/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42024/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221/
Exploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-10033
US Government Resource