{"id":"CVE-2016-10045","aliases":["GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8"],"url":"https://o3.security/vulnerability/CVE-2016-10045","summary":"Remote code execution in PHPMailer","details":"### Impact\nThe `isMail` transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the `mail` command and consequently execute arbitrary code by leveraging improper interaction between the `escapeshellarg` function and internal escaping performed in the mail function in PHP. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2016-10033.\n\nThis issue really emphasises that it's worth avoiding the built-in PHP `mail()` function entirely.\n\n### Patches\nFixed in 5.2.20\n\n### Workarounds\nSend via SMTP to localhost instead of calling the `mail()` function.\n\n### References\nhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045\nSee also https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033\n\n### For more information\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open a private issue in [the PHPMailer project](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer)","published":"2016-12-30T19:59:00.247Z","modified":"2026-10-22T02:45:07.284523189Z","cvss":{"score":9.8,"severity":"CRITICAL","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"},"epss":{"score":0.9758,"percentile":0.99899,"asOf":"2026-09-16"},"cisaKev":null,"exploitsKnown":10,"affectedPackages":[{"ecosystem":"Packagist","name":"phpmailer/phpmailer","fixedVersion":"5.2.20"}],"fix":null,"references":[{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/539967/100/0/threaded"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037533"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986/"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221/"},{"type":"FIX","url":"http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/28/1"},{"type":"FIX","url":"http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/81"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.20"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities"},{"type":"FIX","url":"https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10045-Vuln-Patch-Bypass.html"},{"type":"EVIDENCE","url":"http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140286/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html"},{"type":"EVIDENCE","url":"http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injection.html"},{"type":"EVIDENCE","url":"http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection"},{"type":"EVIDENCE","url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95130"},{"type":"EVIDENCE","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/security/advisories/GHSA-4pc3-96mx-wwc8"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/phpmailer/phpmailer/CVE-2016-10045.yaml"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986"},{"type":"WEB","url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221"}],"provenance":{"sources":["OSV.dev","FIRST.org (EPSS)"],"lastVerified":"2026-10-22T02:45:07.284523189Z"}}