How severe is GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c?

No CVSS score has been assigned to GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c?

GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c affects the following packages: squizlabs/php_codesniffer (Packagist). Ecosystems affected: Packagist.

How do I fix GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c?

Update squizlabs/php_codesniffer to 2.8.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c in my Packagist dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for squizlabs/php_codesniffer, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

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 does O3 Security protect against GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c?

O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

Is GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

When was GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c published, and has it been updated?

GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c was published on March 26, 2022 and was last updated on December 5, 2024. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🐘 Packagist

Not in CISA KEV

GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c — squizlabs/php_codesniffer

GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c is a security vulnerability in squizlabs/php_codesniffer. A fix is available for squizlabs/php_codesniffer — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Arbitrary shell execution

Published

Mar 26, 2022

Updated

Dec 5, 2024

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Dec 5, 2024 · OSV.dev, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

🐘squizlabs/php_codesniffer

Real-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

Uses of shell_exec() and exec() were not escaping filenames and configuration settings in most cases

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
🐘Packagist	`squizlabs/php_codesniffer`	≥ 1.0.0&&< 2.8.1	2.8.1`composer require squizlabs/php_codesniffer:^2.8.1`

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for squizlabs/php_codesniffer, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update squizlabs/php_codesniffer to 2.8.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c 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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

Tailored to GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Uses of shell_exec() and exec() were not escaping filenames and configuration settings in most cases

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c in your dependencies?

O3 Security finds GHSA-mhfv-8rc9-w38c across Packagist dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works