---
title: "CVE-2016-10045\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-10045?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-10045

Publication date 30 December 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**9.8 · Critical**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-10045?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

The isMail transport in PHPMailer before 5.2.20 might allow remote
attackers to pass extra parameters to the mail command and consequently
execute arbitrary code by leveraging improper interaction between the
escapeshellarg function and internal escaping performed in the mail
function in PHP. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect
fix for CVE-2016-10033.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-10045?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| libphp-phpmailer | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected |
| 21.10 impish | Not affected |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not affected |
| 20.10 groovy | Not affected |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not affected |
| 19.10 eoan | Not affected |
| 19.04 disco | Not affected |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not affected |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 5.2.14+dfsg-1ubuntu0.1~esm1  Ubuntu Pro |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-10045?format=md#patch-details)

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## Notes

---

### [sbeattie](https://launchpad.net/~sbeattie)

update from debian resulted in a regression fix
(5.2.14+dfsg-2.2)

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| libphp-phpmailer | * Upstream:   [9743ff5](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/commit/9743ff5c7ee16e8d49187bd2e11149afb9485eae) * Upstream:   [833c35f](https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/commit/833c35fe39715c3d01934508987e97af1fbc1ba0) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

9.8 · Critical

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 9.8 · Critical |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-10045)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10045)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-10045)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-10045)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-5956-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-5956-1)
+ PHPMailer vulnerabilities
+ 15 March 2023

### Other references

* <https://legalhackers.com/advisories/PHPMailer-Exploit-Remote-Code-Exec-CVE-2016-10045-Vuln-Patch-Bypass.html>
* <http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/12/28/1>
* <http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/140286/PHPMailer-Remote-Code-Execution.html>
* <http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Dec/81>
* <https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/668-20161205-phpmailer-security-advisory.html>
* <https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.20>
* <https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/About-the-CVE-2016-10033-and-CVE-2016-10045-vulnerabilities>
* <https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40969/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10045>