Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessIdentify unpatched SPIP site
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DeliverySend crafted request with '<' payload
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ExploitData written via var_export to PHP cache
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ExecutionMis-parsed as <?php code block
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PersistCached file included and executed
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ImpactArbitrary PHP runs as web server user
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A05:2025 - Injection
ASVS 5.0
V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Code injection prevention, sandbox exec
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | No special conditions - remote unauthenticated exploitation against default configurations of SPIP prior to 4.4.20 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The concrete technical prerequisite is that attacker-supplied data containing a '<' character reaches SPIP's var_export-based serialization into a generated PHP file, which the flawed |
| Impact | All signals point to top-tier priority. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N) describes a network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated, no-interaction attack with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact - the canonical profile of a wormable pre-auth RCE. The CVE description explicitly claims in-the-wild exploitation in August 2026, which, if accurate, elevates this from theoretical to urgent; however, the provided intelligence does NOT include an explicit CISA KEV flag or an EPSS score, so active-exploitation and probability signals cannot be independently confirmed from this dataset - the exploitation claim rests on the MITRE/CVE.org description alone. No SSVC decision block was supplied. Even discounting the exploitation claim, an unauthenticated RCE with a released patch and a public vendor advisory warrants emergency patching; the missing KEV/EPSS fields lower analytical certainty but do not lower the practical urgency. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An unauthenticated attacker sends a crafted HTTP request whose input contains a '<' character to a public SPIP instance running a version below 4.4.20. SPIP serializes that input via var_export into a cached PHP file, mis-parses the resulting |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 20, 2026
Remote code execution in SPIP before 4.4.20 allows unauthenticated attackers to run arbitrary PHP on the server by exploiting flawed detection of <?php blocks combined with var_export's mishandling of input containing a '<' character. The CVE description itself reports exploitation in the wild during August 2026, and the flaw is network-reachable with no authentication or user interaction (CVSS 9.8). This is a CWE-94 code-injection issue affecting all SPIP releases prior to the fixed 4.4.20.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: SPIP 4.4.20 - upgrade to 4.4.20 or later immediately, per the vendor advisory at https://blog.spip.net/Mise-a-jour-critique-de-securite-sortie-de-SPIP-4-4-20.html; Debian-based systems should apply the packaged update referenced in https://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2026/msg00359.html. Because exploitation is unauthenticated and reportedly occurring in the wild, treat this as an emergency change rather than a scheduled update. If patching cannot be completed instantly, restrict network reachability of the SPIP site (place it behind a WAF or IP allow-list, or take the public instance offline), and clear/lock down the writable cache and template-compilation directories that hold generated PHP files since those are the sink for injected code - note this may break dynamic rendering and force a full recompile after patching. After upgrading, audit the server for webshells or unexpected PHP files given the reported active exploitation.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
SPIP is an open-source PHP content management system (CPE cpe:2.3:a:spip:spip) widely used for editorial/publishing sites, particularly in French-speaking environments. The root cause (CWE-94, Improper Control of Generation of Code) lies in how SPIP serializes data into generated PHP files: PHP's var_export() produces output that SPIP later re-includes as executable code, and its logic for identifying <?php opening tags is incorrect. When attacker-influenced data containing a '<' character is passed through var_export and written into a PHP cache/compiled file, the boundary between data and code breaks down, letting attacker-controlled bytes be parsed as live PHP. Because SPIP compiles templates and caches computed values into PHP files that are subsequently included, this serialization confusion translates directly into arbitrary code execution in the web server's PHP context.
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- Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Unauthenticated network-reachable code injection with no user interaction (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N); arbitrary PHP execution yields full C/I/A compromise of the host application.
Primary rating from Vendor (mitre).
CVSS VectorVendor: mitre
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
SPIP before 4.4.20 allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, as exploited in the wild in August 2026. This is related to incorrect identification of <?php blocks, and var_export's mishandling of certain cases such as presence of a '<' character.
Latest POC
1 public PoC link from metasploit
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Executive ViewAI
SPIP is a widely-deployed open-source content management platform; versions before 4.4.20 contain a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-77647) being actively exploited to gain complete server control without authentication. Any organization running vulnerable SPIP versions faces immediate risk of data breach, malware deployment, and website compromise; urgent patching is mandatory to prevent operational and security impact.
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Threat Model
4 threats: Elevation of Privilege, Tampering, Information Disclosure and 1 more
6-step attack chain with trust boundaries and controls
Full threat model - attack chain, trust boundaries, controls per stage and evidence - is part of the Pro and Business plans.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Code injection occurs when an application accepts user input and passes it directly into a language interpreter or evaluator without proper sanitization.
Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.
The Saisies plugin for SPIP CMS versions 5.4.0 through 5.11.0 contains a critical remote code execution vulnerability. A
The Security Screen (_core_/securite/ecran_securite.php) before 1.1.8 for SPIP, as used in SPIP 3.0.x before 3.0.12, all
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in valider_xml.php in SPIP 3.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject
Directory traversal vulnerability in ecrire/exec/valider_xml.php in SPIP 3.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to en
The SPIP template composer/compiler in SPIP 3.1.2 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary PHP
SPIP before 4.3.2, 4.2.16, and 4.1.18 is vulnerable to a command injection issue. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), th
SPIP before 4.2.1 allows Remote Code Execution via form values in the public area because serialization is mishandled. R
Remote code execution in SPIP CMS versions prior to 4.4.21 lets unauthenticated attackers run arbitrary PHP/OS commands
SPIP 3.0.x before 3.0.9, 2.1.x before 2.1.22, and 2.0.x before 2.0.23 allows remote attackers to gain privileges and "ta
Unauthenticated SQL injection in SPIP referer_spam plugin before 1.3.0 via the referrer tracking functionality. PoC and
SPIP v4.1.5 and earlier was discovered to contain a SQL injection vulnerability via the _oups parameter. Rated critical
Remote code execution in the SPIP CMS (all versions before 4.4.18) lets attackers holding a valid nonce inject rows into
EUVD-2026-63757
GHSA-wj6g-rh9q-6vvm
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB