CVE-2016-9936

The unserialize implementation in ext/standard/var.c in PHP 7.x before 7.0.14 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly…

published January 4, 2017

CVSS
—
EPSS
4%
Percentile
91.0
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A crafty serialized data input can lead to chaos! The unserialize function in PHP 7.x before 7.0.14 is vulnerable to a use-after-free condition, allowing attackers to orchestrate a denial of service. 🤯 Think of it like a restaurant kitchen that processes various meal orders: if the chef inadvertently uses a recipe that includes expired ingredients the way unserialized data is mishandled, the entire dining experience can quickly go downhill — and customers might just walk out! An attacker can exploit this flaw to corrupt memory, leading to a denial of service, where your application crashes or becomes unresponsive. This can create a frustrating experience for users and potentially compromise the integrity of your application!

Put simply

Think of it like a restaurant kitchen that processes various meal orders: if the chef inadvertently uses a recipe that includes expired ingredients the way unserialized data is mishandled, the entire dining experience can quickly go downhill — and customers might just walk out! This vulnerability arises from a flaw in the unserialize implementation in PHP, where crafted serialized data can lead to a use-after-free condition, enabling attackers to manipulate memory unexpectedly.

What to do

An attacker can exploit this flaw to corrupt memory, leading to a denial of service, where your application crashes or becomes unresponsive. This can create a frustrating experience for users and potentially compromise the integrity of your application! To protect your applications, upgrade PHP to version 7.0.14 or later immediately. Additionally, ensure you validate and sanitize all input data before processing it, especially when dealing with serialization. 🛡️ You've got this! Stay ahead of the game by following these steps, and keep your applications safe and sound! 🚀

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.04267 · 91.0th percentile
Published
2017-01-04T20:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 04 JAN 20:00Z
    The unserialize implementation in ext/standard/var.c in PHP 7.x before 7.0.14 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly…
    cvelistv5