# CVE-2012-2311: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on PHP CGI servers by injecting command-line options via query strings, requiring the server to run in CGI mode.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/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:** 11 May 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9c8w-rvgj-w489

## What is CVE-2012-2311?

CVE-2012-2311 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Php Php, published on 11 May 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

sapi/cgi/cgi_main.c in PHP before 5.3.13 and 5.4.x before 5.4.3, when configured as a CGI script (aka php-cgi), does not properly handle query strings that contain a %3D sequence but no = (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.  NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2012-1823.

Weakness: CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-2311?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Php Php.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-2311?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2012-2311 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-2311 exists.

Public exploit code:

- PHP 5.3.12/5.4.2 - CGI Argument Injection (Metasploit) (exploitdb)
- PHP < 5.3.12 / < 5.4.2 - CGI Argument Injection (exploitdb)
- Apache + PHP < 5.3.12 / < 5.4.2 - cgi-bin Remote Code Execution (exploitdb)
- Apache + PHP < 5.3.12 / < 5.4.2 - Remote Code Execution + Scanner (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-2012-2311 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-2311 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Php Php, published on 11 May 2012. 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-2012-2311 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-2012-2311/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2311/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2311
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2311
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-2311

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2311/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.