# CVE-2012-1823: PHP-CGI Query String Parameter Vulnerability

> CVE-2012-1823: PHP-CGI Query String Parameter Vulnerability. CVSS 9.8 (CVSS 3.1), in CISA KEV.

Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2012-1823
Last updated: 2025-11-04T17:11:54Z

- Published: 2012-05-11 10:00 UTC · Updated: 2025-11-04 17:11 UTC · Assigner: certcc
- CVSS: 9.8 (CVSS 3.1) · Severity: Critical · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS: 100.0%, 100th percentile (scored 2026-10-25)
- CISA KEV: yes, added 2022-03-25, federal due date 2022-04-15, ransomware use: Unknown

## Description

sapi/cgi/cgi\_main.c in PHP before 5.3.12 and 5.4.x before 5.4.2, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that lack an = (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.

## CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

## Affected vendors and products

- PHP: PHP

## References

- [CVE record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-1823)
- [NVD entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-1823)
- [http://eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823/](http://eindbazen.net/2012/05/php-cgi-advisory-cve-2012-1823/)
- [http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03360041](http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03360041)
- [http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2012/Sep/msg00004.html](http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2012/Sep/msg00004.html)
- [http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00002.html](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00002.html)
- [http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00007.html](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00007.html)
- [http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00011.html](http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2012-05/msg00011.html)
- [http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=134012830914727&w=2](http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=134012830914727&w=2)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0546.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0546.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0547.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0547.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0568.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0568.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0569.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0569.html)
- [http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0570.html](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-0570.html)
- [https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=61910](https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=61910)
- [https://bugs.php.net/patch-display.php?bug\_id=61910&patch=cgi.diff&revision=1335984315&display=1](https://bugs.php.net/patch-display.php?bug_id=61910&patch=cgi.diff&revision=1335984315&display=1)
- [http://secunia.com/advisories/49014](http://secunia.com/advisories/49014)
- [http://secunia.com/advisories/49065](http://secunia.com/advisories/49065)
- [http://secunia.com/advisories/49085](http://secunia.com/advisories/49085)
- [http://secunia.com/advisories/49087](http://secunia.com/advisories/49087)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PKGTQUOA2NTZ3RXN22CSAUJPIRUYRB4B/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/PKGTQUOA2NTZ3RXN22CSAUJPIRUYRB4B/)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W45DBOH56NQDRTOM2DN2LNA2FZIMC3PK/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W45DBOH56NQDRTOM2DN2LNA2FZIMC3PK/)
- [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5501](http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5501)
- [http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2465](http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2465)
- [http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/520827](http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/520827)
- [http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/673343](http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/673343)
- [http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:068](http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:068)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/06/07/1](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/06/07/1)
- [http://www.php.net/archive/2012.php\#id2012-05-03-1](http://www.php.net/archive/2012.php#id2012-05-03-1)
- [http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php\#5.4.2](http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.4.2)
- [http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027022](http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027022)

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_Sources: CVE records from the CVE Program (cve.org). CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. (https://www.cve.org/) This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. (https://nvd.nist.gov/) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog from CISA. (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) EPSS scores from FIRST (Exploit Prediction Scoring System). (https://www.first.org/epss/)_


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2012-1823 · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2012-1823.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2012-1823 · Data licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · Generated 2026-10-26T02:01:56.819Z