CVE-2021-34551
Public exploit available. Not confirmed exploited in the wild yet. A vendor fix is available.
What to do
The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.
What it is
From the CVE record
PHPMailer before 6.5.0 on Windows allows remote code execution if lang_path is untrusted data and has a UNC pathname.
In plain language
No plain-language summary for this CVE yet.
Exploitation
Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.
- CISA KEV
Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.
- Public exploits
1 source with a proof of concept or module.
Exploit links, PoCs and Metasploit modules after sign-in- EPSS
2.8% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 86th percentile of scored CVEs.
Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.
Lifecycle
The patch came 471 days before any public exploit.
- OpenVAS check added
- Public exploit / PoCsource: github-poc
- Patch availablerecord updated
- Publishedweakness classified, att&ck mapped
Affected products
Technical detail
CVSS 3.1 vector
Open in the CVSS calculatorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Scored 8.1 by NVD.
How it is reached
- Attack Vector NetworkExploitable remotely over the network without any special conditions
- Attack Complexity HighRequires specific conditions like a race condition or non-default configuration
- Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
- User Interaction NoneNo user interaction needed — fully automated exploitation
Scope
- Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself
Impact if exploited
- Confidentiality HighTotal information disclosure — all data in the component is compromised
- Integrity HighTotal loss of integrity — attacker can modify any data in the component
- Availability HighTotal denial of service — the component is completely unavailable
Weaknesses
ATT&CK techniques
Mapped from the weaknesses above (CWE to ATT&CK), not observed in attacks.
- Command and ControlT1105Ingress Tool Transferhigh confidence
- Initial AccessT1190Exploit Public-Facing Applicationhigh confidence
- PersistenceT1505Server Software Componenthigh confidence
Sources
References in the record
- github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/blob/master/SECURITY.md
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FJYSOFCUBS67J3TKR74SD3C454N7VTYM/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3YRMWGA4VTMXFB22KICMB7YMFZNFV3EJ/
And 10 more references. See all after sign-in
Watch the software you run.
My Stack ranks new CVEs for your products by real-world exploitation, so the next serious one reaches you without reading every advisory.
We'll flag the next CVE, public exploit or patch for Phpmailer/phpmailer, not every advisory. This one: public exploit.
A free account adds
- The full version matrix and every affected product
- Exploit links, proofs of concept and Metasploit modules
- Email alerts for the products you watch
- The same data over REST API, MCP and CLI