# CVE-2001-1246: Command injection in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the mail function when PHP safe mode is enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Jun 2002
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7pf5-hfgr-ch72

## What is CVE-2001-1246?

CVE-2001-1246 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Php Php, published on 25 Jun 2002. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PHP 4.0.5 through 4.1.0 in safe mode does not properly cleanse the 5th parameter to the mail() function, which allows local users and possibly remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters.

Weakness: CWE-88 (Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2001-1246?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php Php.

## How do I fix CVE-2001-1246?

No fix has been published for CVE-2001-1246 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2001-1246 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2001-1246 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PHP 4.x - SafeMode Arbitrary File Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Php Php

- [CVE-2012-2688](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2688/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-2376](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2376/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-3268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3268/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-4143](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4143/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-5557](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5557/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2001-1246 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2001-1246 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Php Php, published on 25 Jun 2002. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2001-1246 exists.

Affected product: Php Php. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1246/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1246/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-1246
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2001-1246
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2001-1246

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-1246/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.