The apprentice_load function in libmagic/apprentice.c in the Fileinfo component in PHP through 5.6.4 attempts to perform a free operation on a stack-based character array, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption or application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors. NOTE: this is disputed by the vendor because the standard erealloc behavior makes the free operation unreachable
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.3, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts limited data confidentiality, limited integrity, and limited availability for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from php organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Documented in 2014, this vulnerability occurred amid the cloud computing expansion era, where traditional network perimeter security models were being reevaluated. Organizations were transitioning from isolated infrastructure to interconnected systems, creating new attack surfaces that vulnerabilities like this could exploit.
2014-12-31T02:59:01.217
2025-04-12T10:46:40.837
Deferred
CVSSv3.1: 7.3 (HIGH)
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
10.0
6.4
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For php's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.