Critical

PHP2Shell: Two Unpatched Critical PHP RCE Flaws (CVSS 9.2) Trigger Emergency Security Alert

The Hacker News

October 21, 2026 at 4:57 AM

Overview

PHP is set to release an emergency security update today, October 21, to address two severe vulnerabilities in its software that could allow remote code execution. Rated 9.2 on the CVSS v4.0 scale, these flaws affect versions 8.2 to 8.5 of PHP. So far, there have been no reports of these vulnerabilities being actively exploited. Users of the affected PHP branches should prioritize applying this update as soon as it becomes available to safeguard their systems. The urgency of this patch underscores the potential risks associated with unaddressed security flaws in widely used software like PHP.

Key Takeaways

Affected Systems: PHP versions 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5
Action Required: An out-of-cycle security release will be provided today, October 21, to fix the vulnerabilities in PHP versions 8.
Timeline: Newly disclosed

Original Article Summary

PHP will ship an out-of-cycle security release at 14:00 UTC today, October 21, for two critical vulnerabilities that its security team has rated 9.2 on the CVSS v4.0 scale but has not described. Security researchers at watchTowr say the two flaws allow remote code execution. Only the four supported PHP branches, 8.2 through 8.5, can receive the fix, and no exploitation has been reported so far.

Impact

PHP versions 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5

Exploitation Status

No active exploitation has been reported at this time. However, organizations should still apply patches promptly as proof-of-concept code may exist.

Timeline

Newly disclosed

Remediation

An out-of-cycle security release will be provided today, October 21, to fix the vulnerabilities in PHP versions 8.2 to 8.5.

Additional Information

This threat intelligence is aggregated from trusted cybersecurity sources. For the most up-to-date information, technical details, and official vendor guidance, please refer to the original article linked below.

Related Topics: This incident relates to Patch, Update, RCE, and 1 more.

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