{
  "id": "CVE-2016-10033",
  "url": "https://spydr.io/cve/CVE-2016-10033",
  "published": "2016-12-30T19:59:00.137Z",
  "modified": "2026-06-17T00:38:55.477Z",
  "score": 9.8,
  "severity": "critical",
  "cvss_version": "3.1",
  "vector": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
  "score_source": "NVD",
  "epss": 0.99714,
  "epss_percentile": 0.99951,
  "exploited": true,
  "kev": {
    "added": "2025-07-07",
    "due": "2025-07-28",
    "action": "Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.",
    "ransomware": "Unknown",
    "name": "PHPMailer Command Injection Vulnerability",
    "notes": "This vulnerability could affect an open-source component, third-party library, protocol, or proprietary implementation that could be used by different products. For more information, please see: https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18 ; https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-5f37-gxvh-23v6 ; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033"
  },
  "ssvc_exploitation": "active",
  "vendors": [
    "phpmailer project",
    "wordpress",
    "joomla"
  ],
  "products": [
    "phpmailer project phpmailer",
    "wordpress",
    "joomla!"
  ],
  "cwes": [
    "CWE-88"
  ],
  "description": "The mailSend function in the isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.18 might allow remote attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently execute arbitrary code via a \\\" (backslash double quote) in a crafted Sender property.",
  "status": "Analyzed",
  "score_type": "Primary",
  "scores": {
    "cvss_v40": null,
    "cvss_v31": 9.8,
    "cvss_v30": null
  },
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140291/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140350/PHPMailer-Sendmail-Argument-Injection.html",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/78",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/phpmailer_arg_injection",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/539963/100/0/threaded",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95108",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link",
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037533",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.18",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10033-Vuln.html",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.drupal.org/psa-2016-004",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40968/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40970/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40974/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40986/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41962/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41996/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42024/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/42221/",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ]
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-10033",
      "tags": [
        "US Government Resource"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "nvd_url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10033",
  "covered_in": [],
  "attribution": [
    {
      "source": "NVD",
      "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov",
      "notice": "This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD."
    },
    {
      "source": "CISA KEV",
      "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog",
      "notice": "Known exploited vulnerabilities from the CISA KEV catalog."
    },
    {
      "source": "FIRST EPSS",
      "url": "https://www.first.org/epss",
      "notice": "Exploit prediction scores from FIRST EPSS."
    }
  ]
}