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CVE-2020-4043

Phar unserialization vulnerability in phpMussel

7.7 HighFix available

phpMussel from versions 1.0.0 and less than 1.6.0 has an unserialization vulnerability in PHP's phar wrapper. Uploading a specially crafted file to an affected version allows arbitrary code execution (discovered, tested, and confirmed by myself), so the risk factor should be regarded as very high. Newer phpMussel versions don't use PHP's phar wrapper, and are therefore unaffected. This has been fixed in version 1.6.0.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

2.60%Up 0.4 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.7

Phar unserialization vulnerability in phpMussel

phpMussel from versions 1.0.0 and less than 1.6.0 has an unserialization vulnerability in PHP's phar wrapper. Uploading a specially crafted file to an affected version allows arbitrary code execution (discovered, tested, and confirmed by myself), so the risk factor should be regarded as very high. Newer phpMussel versions don't use PHP's phar wrapper, and are therefore unaffected. This has been fixed in version 1.6.0.

Record
CVE-2020-4043
CVSS 3.1
7.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-502
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-0510 7.7

phpMussel from versions 1.0.0 and less than 1.6.0 has an unserialization vulnerability in PHP's phar wrapper. Uploading a specially crafted file to an affected version allows arbitrary code execution (discovered, tested, and confirmed by myself), so the risk factor should be regarded as very high. Newer phpMussel versions don't use PHP's phar wrapper, and are therefore unaffected. This has been fixed in version 1.6.0.

Record
EUVD-2020-0510
CVSS 3.1
7.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-qr95-4mq5-r3fh 7.7

Phar unserialization vulnerability in phpMussel

Impact

What kind of vulnerability is it? Who is impacted?

Anyone using >= v1.0.0 < v1.6.0.

Patches

Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?

Yes. Upgrading to at least >= v1.6.0 (the earliest safe version) will resolve the problem. However, as multiple new major versions have been released since that version, upgrading to the latest available version is recommended, in order to protect against any potential future vulnerabilities, unknown at the time of writing this advisory.

Workarounds

Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?

Yes. In the package's configuration, disable archive checking by setting check_archives to false (thus avoiding execution of the affected parts of the codebase entirely).

References

Are there any links users can visit to find out more?

Yes. The vulnerability is documented at SECURITY.md and also at #167.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-qr95-4mq5-r3fh
CVSS 3.1
7.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-502
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.7

phpMussel from versions 1.0.0 and less than 1.6.0 has an unserialization vulnerability in PHP's phar wrapper. Uploading a specially crafted file to an affected version allows arbitrary code execution (discovered, tested, and confirmed by myself), so the risk factor should be regarded as very high. Newer phpMussel versions don't use PHP's phar wrapper, and are therefore unaffected. This has been fixed in version 1.6.0.

Record
CVE-2020-4043
CVSS 3.1
7.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
7.5 HighAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-502
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 9.8

phpMussel from versions 1.0.0 and less than 1.6.0 has an unserialization vulnerability in PHP's phar wrapper. Uploading a specially crafted file to an affected version allows arbitrary code execution (discovered, tested, and confirmed by myself), so the risk factor should be regarded as very high. Newer phpMussel versions don't use PHP's phar wrapper, and are therefore unaffected. This has been fixed in version 1.6.0.

Record
CVE-2020-4043
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-qr95-4mq5-r3fh 7.7

Phar unserialization vulnerability in phpMussel

Impact

What kind of vulnerability is it? Who is impacted?

Anyone using >= v1.0.0 < v1.6.0.

Patches

Has the problem been patched? What versions should users upgrade to?

Yes. Upgrading to at least >= v1.6.0 (the earliest safe version) will resolve the problem. However, as multiple new major versions have been released since that version, upgrading to the latest available version is recommended, in order to protect against any potential future vulnerabilities, unknown at the time of writing this advisory.

Workarounds

Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?

Yes. In the package's configuration, disable archive checking by setting check_archives to false (thus avoiding execution of the affected parts of the codebase entirely).

References

Are there any links users can visit to find out more?

Yes. The vulnerability is documented at SECURITY.md and also at #167.

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

Record
GHSA-qr95-4mq5-r3fh
CVSS 3.1
7.7 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
Weakness
CWE-502
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
phpmussel/phpmussel
Packagist
1.0.0 up to 1.6.0
1.6.0
Maikuolan/phpMussel
Packagist
1.0.0 up to 1.6.0
1.6.0
phpmussel/phpmussel
Packagist
1.0.0 up to 1.6.0, plus listed versions
v1.0.0v1.1.0v1.2.0v1.3.0v1.3.1v1.4.0v1.5.0
1.6.0
maikuolan/phpmussel
Packagist
1.0.0 up to 1.6.0, plus listed versions
v1.0.0v1.1.0v1.2.0v1.3.0v1.3.1v1.4.0v1.5.0
1.6.0

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-4043 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.7) in Phpmussel, published June 10, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.60%, the 85th percentile. Fixed in phpmussel/phpmussel 1.6.0.

References

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