Local file disclosure in PHPMailer
An issue was discovered in PHPMailer before 5.2.22. PHPMailer's msgHTML method applies transformations to an HTML document to make it usable as an email message body. One of the transformations is to convert relative image URLs into attachments using a script-provided base directory. If no base directory is provided, it resolves to /, meaning that relative image URLs get treated as absolute local file paths and added as attachments. To form a remote vulnerability, the msgHTML method must be called, passed an unfiltered, user-supplied HTML document, and must not set a base directory.
Impact
Arbitrary local files can be attached to email messages.
Patches
Fixed in 5.2.22
Workarounds
Validate input before using user-supplied file paths.
References
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5223
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open a private issue in the PHPMailer project
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | phpmailer/phpmailer | >= 5.0.0, < 5.2.22 | 5.2.22 |
References
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/security/advisories/GHSA-4x5h-cr29-fhp6
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5223
- https://github.com/FriendsOfPHP/security-advisories/blob/master/phpmailer/phpmailer/CVE-2017-5223.yaml
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/blob/master/SECURITY.md
- https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.22
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43056
- http://kalilinux.co/2017/01/12/phpmailer-cve-2017-5223-local-information-disclosure-vulnerability-analysis
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95328
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-200- Platform
- Composer
- Package
phpmailer/phpmailer- Disclosed
- 05.03.2020
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-4x5h-cr29-fhp6 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: phpmailer/phpmailer
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Composer package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 13
- First → latest
- 12.2016 02.2024
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 2
- High 7
- Medium 3
- Low 1
Disclosures per year
- 2017: 0
- 2018: 0
- 2019: 0
- 2020: 5
- 2021: 3
- 2022: 2
- 2023: 0
- 2024: 2
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 0
earlier: 1
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Local file disclosure in PHPMailer this entry
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