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PHP: critical remote-code-execution flaw (CVSS 4.0 9.2) fixed in a security release pre-announced for 2026-10-21 14:00 UTC; the id is named by CERT-EU and Sansec and had no CVE.org record when read

cve · CVE-2026-109618

Coverage
1
first 2026-10-21 → last 2026-10-21
Latest activity
2026-10-21
PHP announces a critical security release for 14:00 UTC on 21 October; an exploit tool screenshot is reported…
Peak priority
high
1 high
Targets
·
no sector or region stated
Sources cited
4
4 hosts

Action items (1)

Do-now tasks recorded on the entries about CVE-2026-109618, newest first. Check the date before acting on an older one.

  • Before 14:00 UTC on 2026-10-21 list every internet-facing host and container image that runs PHP with its version (php -v) and its owner, find those on PHP 8.1 or older, and agree who restarts PHP-FPM or the web server once the fixed build is published; ask each hosting provider and distribution for its date, because OS packages, control panels and container images may follow a different schedule from php.net.
    2026-10-21CVE-2026-109618 +1

Defender insights

What each entry about CVE-2026-109618 tells a defender to do, newest first.

2026-10-21HIGHPHP announces a critical security release for 14:00 UTC on 21 October; an exploit tool screenshot is reported leaked

Exposure · detection

Story timeline

  1. 2026-10-21CVE-2026-109618 / CVE-2026-109619, PHP: two critical flaws rated CVSS 4.0 9.2, which CERT-EU reads as possible remote code execution, are to be fixed in a release pre-announced for 21 October 14:00 UTC, with a screenshot of an exploit tool reported leaked
    trending-vulnerabilitiesPHP announces a critical security release for 14:00 UTC on 21 October; an exploit tool screenshot is reported leaked

Hunting pivots

Affected products
ATT&CK techniques (1 across 1 tactic)

1 technique observed across 1 entry about this entity, derived from entry metadata and body evidence, never asserted without a published entry behind it · pinned to MITRE ATT&CK v20.0 · compare on the matrix · Navigator layer (JSON)

  • Initial AccessExploit Public-Facing Application

Initial Access TA0001

T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application×1

Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network. The weakness in the system can be a software bug, a temporary glitch, or a misconfiguration.

Evidence: 2026-10-21/php-critical-release-pre-announced-cve-2026-109618-109619 · ATT&CK page ↗

Entries about PHP: critical remote-code-execution flaw (CVSS 4.0 9.2) fixed in a security release pre-announced for 2026-10-21 14:00 UTC; the id is named by CERT-EU and Sansec and had no CVE.org record when read (1)

2026-10-21 · view entry permalink →

CVE-2026-109618 / CVE-2026-109619, PHP: two critical flaws rated CVSS 4.0 9.2, which CERT-EU reads as possible remote code execution, are to be fixed in a release pre-announced for 21 October 14:00 UTC, with a screenshot of an exploit tool reported leaked

The PHP security team announced on 2026-10-20 a security release for Wednesday 2026-10-21 at 14:00 UTC that addresses two critical vulnerabilities, both rated CVSS 4.0 9.2, with the affected and fixed versions and the technical details to be published with the release; it reserves the right to release earlier if details become public or exploitation appears (PHP, 2026-10-20). CERT-EU names the two as CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, reads their scores as indicating potential unauthenticated remote code execution and, citing a social-media post, says they could affect all PHP versions from PHP 5 onwards (CERT-EU, 2026-10-21). Sansec reports that information on the embargoed bugs leaked on 20 October, that watchTowr confirmed them as remote code execution flaws in PHP, and that a screenshot of an exploit tool named PHP2Shell, credited to Calif.IO, leaked with a banner claiming it works against every PHP release from 5.4.0; it expects mass attacks within 15 minutes of the release (Sansec, 2026-10-21). Those are Sansec's claims; the PHP project has published no technical detail and no fix is listed on php.net as of 2026-10-21.

PHP supports branches 8.2 and later, so Sansec says servers on PHP 8.1 or older will not get an official fix (Sansec, 2026-10-21). The fix is applied to the PHP runtime on the server, not to a CMS, plugin or theme, so updating WordPress or its plugins does not change exposure, and PHP installed from operating-system packages, a control panel or container images may arrive on a different schedule from php.net (Wordfence, 2026-10-20).

It is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 October 2026 at 14:00 UTC.

It addresses two critical vulnerabilities, both rated CVSS v4.0 9.2.

We reserve the right to release earlier should details of either vulnerability become public, or should evidence of active exploitation appear in the wild.

PHP (php.net news archive, Upcoming Critical PHP Security Release) 2026-10-20

These vulnerabilities could affect all PHP versions from PHP 5 onwards

CERT-EU

We expect mass attacks to start within 15 minutes of the release.

Servers on PHP 8.1 or older will not get an official fix.

Sansec 2026-10-21
vulnerability21 Oct 03:40Zmulti-sourceOpen finding →

Co-occurring entities

Derived: referenced by the same focused operational entries (weekly summaries and report roundups don't count); ×N counts the shared entries.

Where this entity is cited

  • Vulns1

Source distribution

  • cert.europa.eu1 (25%)
  • php.net1 (25%)
  • sansec.io1 (25%)
  • wordfence.com1 (25%)