CVE-2017-5223
lowpriority · track · 33EPSS 0.021 · 82 %ileexploit · PoCEUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
An issue was discovered in PHPMailer before 5.2.22. PHPMailer's msgHTML method applies transformations to an HTML document to make it usable as an email message body. One of the transformations is to convert relative image URLs into attachments using a script-provided base directory. If no base directory is provided, it resolves to /, meaning that relative image URLs get treated as absolute local file paths and added as attachments. To form a remote vulnerability, the msgHTML method must be called, passed an unfiltered, user-supplied HTML document, and must not set a base directory.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · low–medium · 2.1–5.5
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
exploits (2)
Public proof-of-concept and weaponised exploit code.
- EDB-43056PHPMailer < 5.2.21 - Local File DisclosurePoC · exploit_db
- cscli/CVE-2017-5223cscli/CVE-2017-5223PoC · poc_in_github
affected products (3)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (1)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- GHSA-4x5h-cr29-fhp6Local file disclosure in PHPMailer2020-03-05ghsa · osvUS
An issue was discovered in PHPMailer before 5.2.22. PHPMailer's `msgHTML` method applies transformations to an HTML document to make it usable as an email message body. One of the transformations is to convert relative image URLs into attachments using a script-provided base directory. If no base directory is provided, it resolves to `/`, meaning that relative image URLs get treated as absolute local file paths and added as attachments. To form a remote vulnerability, the msgHTML method must be called, passed an unfiltered, user-supplied HTML document, and must not set a base directory. ### Impact Arbitrary local files can be attached to email messages. ### Patches Fixed in 5.2.22 ### Workarounds Validate input before using user-supplied file paths. ### References https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5223 ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open a private issue in [the PHPMailer project](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer)
also known as (3)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (10)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.22Patchcnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2023.1594cnnvd
- http://kalilinux.co/2017/01/12/phpmailer-cve-2017-5223-local-information-disclosure-vulnerability-analysis/enisa_euvd
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95328enisa_euvd
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/blob/master/SECURITY.mdenisa_euvd
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43056/enisa_euvd
- http://kalilinux.co/2017/01/12/phpmailer-cve-2017-5223-local-information-disclosure-vulnerability-analysis/ExploitThird Party Advisorynvd
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95328Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entrynvd
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