HIGH CVSS 8.1
Published: 2021-06-17

CVE-2021-3603

phpmailer_project phpmailer Security Advisory (CVE-2021-3603)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2021-3603 impacting phpmailer_project phpmailer. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.1 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
PHPMailer 6.4.1 and earlier contain a vulnerability that can result in untrusted code being called (if such code is injected into the host project's scope by other means). If the $patternselect parameter to validateAddress() is set to 'php' (the default, defined by PHPMailer::$validator), and the global namespace contains a function called php, it will be called in preference to the built-in validator of the same name. Mitigated in PHPMailer 6.5.0 by denying the use of simple strings as validator function names.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
High (AC:H)
Depends on race conditions or environment
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product phpmailer_project / phpmailer
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-829

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2021-3603 impacting phpmailer_project phpmailer.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2021-3603.yaml
id: cve-2021-3603

info:
  name: phpmailer_project phpmailer - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2021-3603 affecting phpmailer_project phpmailer.
    Evaluation: PHPMailer 6.4.1 and earlier contain a vulnerability that can result in untrusted code being called (if such code is injected into the host project&#x2...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2021-3603
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.1
    cve-id: CVE-2021-3603
    cwe-id: CWE-829
  tags: cve,cve-2021-3603,phpmailer_project,phpmailer,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "phpmailer"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2021-3603.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2021-3603
# Target: phpmailer_project phpmailer | CVSS: 8.1 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2021-3603 (phpmailer_project phpmailer)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against phpmailer_project phpmailer scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2021-3603.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2021-3603
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install phpmailer 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade phpmailer 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update phpmailer

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i phpmailer 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i phpmailer

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2021-3603 in phpmailer_project phpmailer?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update phpmailer_project phpmailer packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2021-3603?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2021-3603?

CVE-2021-3603 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.1 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.1
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2021-3603
Weakness CWE-829
Vendor phpmailer_project
Product phpmailer
Published 2021-06-17
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H