XML-RPC for PHP allows access to local files via malicious argument to the Client::send method
Abusing the $method argument of Client::send, it was possible to force the client to access local files or connect to undesired urls instead of the intended target server's url (the one used in the Client constructor).
This weakness only affects installations where all the following conditions apply, at the same time:
- the xmlrpc Client is used, ie. not xmlrpc servers
- untrusted data (eg. data from remote users) is used as value for the
$methodargument of methodClient::send(), in conjunction with conditions which trigger usage of curl as http transport (ie. either using the https, http11 or http2 protocols, or callingClient::setUseCurl()beforehand) - either have set the Clients
return_typeproperty to 'xml', or make the resulting Response's objecthttpResponsemember, which is intended to be used for debugging purposes only, available to 3rd parties, eg. by displaying it to the end user or serializing it in some storage (note that the same data can also be accessed via magic propertyResponse::raw_data, and in the Request'shttpResponsemember)
This is most likely a very uncommon usage scenario, and as such the chances of exploitation of this issue may be low.
If it is not possible to upgrade to this release of the library at this time, a proactive security measure, to avoid the Client accessing any local file on the server which hosts it, is to add the following call to your code:
$client->setCurlOptions([CURLOPT_PROTOCOLS, CURLPROTO_HTTPS|CURLPROTO_HTTP]);
Originally reported as issue #81
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composer package | phpxmlrpc/phpxmlrpc | < 4.9.0 | 4.9.0 |
References
- Weakness (CWE)
-- Platform
- Composer
- Package
phpxmlrpc/phpxmlrpc- Disclosed
- 11.01.2023
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-m95x-m25c-w9mp - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: phpxmlrpc/phpxmlrpc
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
- 5
- First → latest
- 11.2022 01.2023
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 1
- Medium 4
Disclosures per year
- 2022: 2
- 2023: 3
- 2024: 0
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 0
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XML-RPC for PHP allows access to local files via malicious argument to the Client::send method this entry
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