# CVE-2011-2202: Path traversal in n/a

> Remote attackers can exploit a path traversal flaw in PHP's multipart form handling to create or overwrite arbitrary files, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Jun 2011
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6qfq-jp45-c2jc

## What is CVE-2011-2202?

CVE-2011-2202 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Php Php, published on 16 Jun 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The rfc1867_post_handler function in main/rfc1867.c in PHP before 5.3.7 does not properly restrict filenames in multipart/form-data POST requests, which allows remote attackers to conduct absolute path traversal attacks, and possibly create or overwrite arbitrary files, via a crafted upload request, related to a "file path injection vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-2202?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php Php.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-2202?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-2202 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2011-2202 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PHP 5.3.6 - Security Bypass (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-2011-2202 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-2202 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Php Php, published on 16 Jun 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2011-2202 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-2011-2202/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2202/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2202
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2202
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-2202

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2202/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.