GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch
GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch is a remote code execution vulnerability in phpmailer/phpmailer. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
PHPMailer Shell command injection
Real-World Exposure
phpmailer/phpmailerReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
PHPMailer before 1.7.4, when configured to use sendmail, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands via shell metacharacters in the SendmailSend function in class.phpmailer.php.
Impact
Shell command injection, remotely exploitable if host application does not filter user data appropriately.
Patches
Fixed in 1.7.4
Workarounds
Filter and validate user-supplied data before putting in the into the Sender property.
References
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2007-3215
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open a private issue in the PHPMailer project
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐘Packagist | phpmailer/phpmailer | all versions | 1.7.4 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for phpmailer/phpmailer. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update phpmailer/phpmailer to 1.7.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-6h78-85v2-mmch across Packagist dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.