Description
The GENERATE_SEED macro in PHP 4.x before 4.4.8 and 5.x before 5.2.5, when running on 64-bit systems, performs a multiplication that generates a portion of zero bits during conversion due to insufficient precision, which produces 24 bits of entropy and simplifies brute force attacks against protection mechanisms that use the rand and mt_rand functions.
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 | 5.2.6.dfsg.1-1+lenny3 | DSA-1789-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | php5 | 5.2.0+dfsg-8+etch15 | DSA-1789-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | php +18 | 5.1.6-20.el5_2.1 | RHSA-2008:0544 |
| RHEL 4 | php +13 | 4.3.9-3.22.12 | RHSA-2008:0545 |
| RHEL 3 | php +6 | 4.3.2-48.ent | RHSA-2008:0544 |
| RHEL 2 | php +7 | 4.1.2-2.20 | RHSA-2008:0546 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | httpd +2 | 2.2.8-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mod_jk +1 | 1.2.26-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mod_perl +1 | 2.0.4-3.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mod_ssl | 1:2.2.8-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mysql +6 | 5.0.50sp1a-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mysql-connector-odbc | 3.51.24r1071-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mysql-jdbc | 5.0.8-1jpp.1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | perl-DBD-MySQL | 4.006-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | perl-DBI | 1.604-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | php +18 | 5.2.6-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresql +11 | 8.2.9-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresql-jdbc | 8.2.508-1jpp.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresql-odbc | 08.02.0500-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresqlclient81 | 8.1.11-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | unixODBC +2 | 2.2.12-8.el5s2 | RHSA-2008:0505 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 1 | php +18 | 5.1.6-3.el4s1.10 | RHSA-2008:0582 |
Advisories 6
- RHSA-2008:0546 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2008:0544 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2008:0545 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-1789-1 php5 - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2008:0505 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Application Stack v2.1 security and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 14, 2026
- RHSA-2008:0582 Red Hat Security Advisory: php security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 8, 2026
References
- FEDORA-2008-3606 vendor-advisory
- 32746 third-party-advisory
- 20080506 Advisory SE-2008-02: PHP GENERATE_SEED() Weak Random Number Seed Vulnerability mailing-list
- GLSA-200811-05 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0546 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2008-3864 vendor-advisory
- 30828 third-party-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:128 vendor-advisory
- 3859 third-party-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0582 vendor-advisory
- USN-628-1 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0545 vendor-advisory
- php-generateseed-weak-security(42226) vdb-entry
- 31124 third-party-advisory
- 31119 third-party-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:129 vendor-advisory
- 31200 third-party-advisory
- 30757 third-party-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0544 vendor-advisory
- 35003 third-party-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:125 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2008:0505 vendor-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10844 vdb-entry signature
- MDVSA-2008:130 vendor-advisory
- MDVSA-2008:126 vendor-advisory
- 20080506 Advisory SE-2008-02: PHP GENERATE_SEED() Weak Random Number Seed Vulnerability mailing-list
- MDVSA-2008:127 vendor-advisory
- http://www.sektioneins.de/advisories/SE-2008-02.txt
- DSA-1789 vendor-advisory