PHP import_request_variables() Vulnerability - Wisec Advisory

On March 7, 2007, the specialized portal Wisec.it published a technical advisory attributing to Stefano “wisec” Di Paola and Francesco “ascii” Ongaro the discovery of a critical vulnerability in PHP’s import_request_variables() function (versions from 4.0.7 to 5.2.1). The advisory, jointly distributed by the Wisec and USH groups, documents how improper use of the function allowed a remote attacker to overwrite sensitive global variables ($_SERVER, $_SESSION, $_FILES), exposing applications to control bypasses and potential compromises. The advisory is signed with the email address [email protected], directly linking Ongaro to the publication.