Description
The session_start function in ext/session in PHP 4.x up to 4.4.7 and 5.x up to 5.2.3 allows remote attackers to insert arbitrary attributes into the session cookie via special characters in a cookie that is obtained from (1) PATH_INFO, (2) the session_id function, and (3) the session_start function, which are not encoded or filtered when the new session cookie is generated, a related issue to CVE-2006-0207.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 5.0 | php5 | 5.2.3-1+lenny1 | DTSA-61-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | php4 | 6:4.4.4-8+etch6 | DSA-1578-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | php5 | 5.2.0-8+etch9 | DSA-1444-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | php +18 | 5.1.6-15.el5 | RHSA-2007:0890 |
| RHEL 4 | php +13 | 4.3.9-3.22.9 | RHSA-2007:0890 |
| RHEL 3 | php +6 | 4.3.2-43.ent | RHSA-2007:0889 |
| RHEL 2 | php +7 | 4.1.2-2.19 | RHSA-2007:0888 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | php +18 | 5.2.3-3.el5s2 | RHSA-2007:0917 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 1 | php +18 | 5.1.6-3.el4s1.8 | RHSA-2007:0891 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Exploit-DB 1
- PHP 5.2.3 - EXT/Session HTTP Response Header Injection EDB-30130 · remote · Jun 4, 2007 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 8
- RHSA-2007:0889 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2007:0890 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2007:0888 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-1578-1 php4 - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-1444-1 php5 several issues Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DTSA-61-1 php5 - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2007:0917 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 14, 2026
- RHSA-2007:0891 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 14, 2026
References
- 30288 third-party-advisory
- https://launchpad.net/bugs/173043
- RHSA-2007:0888 vendor-advisory
- 24268 vdb-entry
- FEDORA-2007-709 vendor-advisory
- 26967 third-party-advisory
- DSA-1444 vendor-advisory
- 27351 third-party-advisory
- ADV-2008-0924 vdb-entry
- 27864 third-party-advisory
- 26930 third-party-advisory
- 29420 third-party-advisory
- APPLE-SA-2008-03-18 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2007:0889 vendor-advisory
- USN-549-1 vendor-advisory
- https://issues.rpath.com/browse/RPL-1693
- 28249 third-party-advisory
- DSA-1578 vendor-advisory
- 27545 third-party-advisory
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2007-449.htm
- 36855 vdb-entry
- 27377 third-party-advisory
- http://www.php-security.org/MOPB/PMOPB-46-2007.html
- http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=307562
- MDKSA-2007:187 vendor-advisory
- 26895 third-party-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:9792 vdb-entry signature
- USN-549-2 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2007:0890 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2007:0891 vendor-advisory
- 26871 third-party-advisory
- SUSE-SR:2007:015 vendor-advisory