CVE-2015-5243

phpWhois allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted whois record

published August 20, 2018

CVSS
โ€”
EPSS
6%
Percentile
93.5
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

โš ๏ธ A crafty crafted whois record can open a door for remote code execution in phpWhois! Just like a mischievous guest sneaking a hidden ingredient into a recipe, an attacker can manipulate data to wreak havoc. ๐Ÿ”ฅ Think of phpWhois as a restaurant that takes orders without checking the source of the ingredients. If a rogue supplier sends in tainted produce, the kitchen could whip up a disastrous meal without ever knowing it. The same happens here โ€“ a deceptively simple input can lead to devastating consequences! An attacker could exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code on the server, leading to potential unauthorized access, data theft, or even complete system compromise. This could have absolutely devastating effects on both the server and the sensitive information it holds.

Put simply

Think of phpWhois as a restaurant that takes orders without checking the source of the ingredients. If a rogue supplier sends in tainted produce, the kitchen could whip up a disastrous meal without ever knowing it. The same happens here โ€“ a deceptively simple input can lead to devastating consequences! This vulnerability in phpWhois allows unauthorized remote code execution by sending a specially crafted whois record, bypassing standard security checks. This means that malicious input from an attacker could be processed and executed by the server without proper validation.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code on the server, leading to potential unauthorized access, data theft, or even complete system compromise. This could have absolutely devastating effects on both the server and the sensitive information it holds. To secure your application, update to the latest version of phpWhois if available. If updates are limited, consider implementing input validation and sanitization to mitigate the risk of crafted whois records. Regularly review your server logs for any suspicious activity! You've got this! With these steps, you can keep your server safe and sound! ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.06195 ยท 93.5th percentile
Published
2018-08-20T21:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 20 AUG 21:00Z
    phpWhois allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted whois record
    cvelistv5