CVE-2026-41570Public exploit

Code execution via newline-delimited INI directive injection

Published May 8, 2026 · Updated May 8, 2026

Argument injection in PHPUnit 12.5.21 and 13.1.5 allows local users to execute code in child PHP processes through crafted INI values. JobRunner::settingsToParameters() passes each setting as an unquoted -d name=value argument, so PHP parses embedded newlines as separators for injected directives such as auto_prepend_file. Exploitation requires control of phpunit.xml, php.ini, or the PHP environment, typically through an untrusted CI change, and execution retains the spawned process's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Argument injection in PHPUnit 12.5.21 and 13.1.5 allows local users to execute code in child PHP processes through crafted INI values. JobRunner::settingsToParameters() passes each setting as an unquoted -d name=value argument, so PHP parses embedded newlines as separators for injected directives such as auto_prepend_file. Exploitation requires control of phpunit.xml, php.ini, or the PHP environment, typically through an untrusted CI change, and execution retains the spawned process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-41570
Published
May 8, 2026
Updated
May 8, 2026
Vendor
Sebastian Bergmann
Product
PHPUnit
Classifications
CWE-93, CWE-88, T1059
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion== 12.5.21
  2. Affected versionversion== 13.1.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Sebastian Bergmann · PHPUnitversion== 12.5.21; version== 13.1.5

Published CVSS scores

7.8GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-93Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection')
CWE-88Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo