Overview
PHPMailer contains a command injection vulnerability because it fails to sanitize user-supplied input. Specifically, this issue affects the 'mail()' function of 'class.phpmailer.php' script. An attacker can exploit this issue to execute arbitrary code within the context of the application. Failed exploit attempts will result in a denial-of-service condition.
This vulnerability could affect an open-source component, third-party library, protocol, or proprietary implementation that could be used by different products. For more information, please see: https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18 ; https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-5f37-gxvh-23v6 ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033
Key Details
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| CVE ID | CVE-2016-10033 |
| Vendor / Product | PHP — PHPMailer |
| NVD Published | 2016-12-30 |
| NVD Last Modified | 2025-10-22 |
| CVSS 3.1 Score | 9.8 |
| CVSS 3.1 Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Severity | CRITICAL |
| CWE | CWE-88 |
| CISA KEV Added | 2025-07-07 |
| CISA KEV Deadline | 2025-07-28 |
| Known Ransomware Use | No |
CVSS 3.1 Breakdown
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Required Action
CISA BOD 22-01 Deadline: 2025-07-28.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2025-07-07 | Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog |
| 2025-07-28 | CISA BOD 22-01 remediation deadline |
References
| Resource | Type |
|---|---|
| NVD — CVE-2016-10033 | Vulnerability Database |
| CISA KEV Catalog Entry | US Government |