# CVE-2012-10037: PhpTax pfilez Parameter Exec Remote Code Injection

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary shell commands via the pfilez parameter in drawimage.php without authentication.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 7 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-62c8-77mw-jf34

## What is CVE-2012-10037?

CVE-2012-10037 is a critical command injection vulnerability in PhpTax, published on 11 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PhpTax version 0.8 contains a remote code execution vulnerability in drawimage.php. The pfilez GET parameter is unsafely passed to the exec() function without sanitization. A remote attacker can inject arbitrary shell commands, leading to code execution under the web server's context. No authentication is required.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-10037?


## How do I fix CVE-2012-10037?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-10037 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-10037 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-10037 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PhpTax pfilez Parameter Exec Remote Code Injection (metasploit)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-10037 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-10037 is a critical command injection vulnerability in PhpTax, published on 11 Aug 2025. 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-2012-10037 exists.

Affected product: PhpTax. 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-2012-10037/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-10037/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-10037
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-10037
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-10037

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-10037/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.