CVE-2021-3603
mediumpriority · track · 33EPSS 0.023 · 83 %ileDEEURUUSEPSS · scored 2026-10-27
PHPMailer 6.4.1 and earlier contain a vulnerability that can result in untrusted code being called (if such code is injected into the host project's scope by other means). If the $patternselect parameter to validateAddress() is set to 'php' (the default, defined by PHPMailer::$validator), and the global namespace contains a function called php, it will be called in preference to the built-in validator of the same name. Mitigated in PHPMailer 6.5.0 by denying the use of simple strings as validator function names.
cvss
Technical severity, 0–10. One row per scoring source.
base score 0–10 · higher = more severe · hover a vector to decode⚠ sources disagree · medium–high · 6.8–8.1
weaknesses
The CWE weakness classes this flaw belongs to.
affected products (8)
Products and version ranges known to be affected.
advisories (3)
Vendor and ecosystem advisories describing this.
- WID-SEC-W-2023-0663PHPMailer: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen CodeausführungDeutsch2021-06-17csaf · cert_bundDE
Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in PHPMailer ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen.
- GHSA-77mr-wc79-m8j3PHPMailer untrusted code may be run from an overridden address validator2021-06-22ghsa · osvUS
If a function is defined that has the same name as the default built-in email address validation scheme (`php`), it will be called in default configuration as when no validation scheme is provided, the default scheme's callable `php` was being called. If an attacker is able to inject such a function into the application (a much bigger issue), it will be called whenever an email address is validated, such as when calling `validateAddress()`. ### Impact Low impact – exploitation requires that an attacker can already inject code into an application, but it provides a trigger pathway. ### Patches This is patched in PHPMailer 6.5.0 by denying the use of simple strings as validator function names, which is a very minor BC break. ### Workarounds Inject your own email validator function. ### References Reported by [Vikrant Singh Chauhan](mailto:vi@hackberry.xyz) via [huntr.dev](https://www.huntr.dev/). [CVE-2021-3603](https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2021-3603) ### For more information If you have any questions or comments about this advisory: * Open an issue in [the PHPMailer project](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer) * [Email us](mailto:phpmailer@synchromedia.co.uk).
- BIT-phpmailer-2021-3603Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere in PHPMailer/PHPMailer2024-03-06vendor · osvUS
PHPMailer 6.4.1 and earlier contain a vulnerability that can result in untrusted code being called (if such code is injected into the host project's scope by other means). If the $patternselect parameter to validateAddress() is set to 'php' (the default, defined by PHPMailer::$validator), and the global namespace contains a function called php, it will be called in preference to the built-in validator of the same name. Mitigated in PHPMailer 6.5.0 by denying the use of simple strings as validator function names.
also known as (6)
Other names and identifiers for this entity.
sources
Which sources assert this record, and when.
references (19)
External citations — patches, advisories, analysis.
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/commit/45f3c18dc6a2de1cb1bf49b9b249a9ee36a5f7f3cnnvd
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v6.5.0Patchcnnvd
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3YRMWGA4VTMXFB22KICMB7YMFZNFV3EJ/cnnvd
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FJYSOFCUBS67J3TKR74SD3C454N7VTYM/cnnvd
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-3603cnnvd
- https://vigilance.fr/vulnerability/PHPMailer-code-execution-via-Validator-Function-Names-35781cnnvd
- https://www.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2023.1594cnnvd
- https://www.cybersecurity-help.cz/vdb/SB2021061620cnnvd
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