CVE-2006-5178

CVE-2006-5178 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Php with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-362.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 6.2)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (47th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-362
• Affected product: Php
• Published: 2006-10-10
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Race condition in the symlink function in PHP 5.1.6 and earlier allows local users to bypass the open_basedir restriction by using a combination of symlink, mkdir, and unlink functions to change the file path after the open_basedir check and before the file is opened by the underlying system, as demonstrated by symlinking a symlink into a subdirectory, to point to a parent directory via .. (dot dot) sequences, and then unlinking the resulting symlink.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2006-5178?

Race condition in the symlink function in PHP 5.1.6 and earlier allows local users to bypass the open_basedir restriction by using a combination of symlink, mkdir, and unlink functions to change the file path after the open_basedir check and before the file is opened by the underlying system, as demonstrated by symlinking a symlink into a subdirectory, to point to a parent directory via .. (dot dot) sequences, and then unlinking the resulting symlink.

How severe is CVE-2006-5178?

CVE-2006-5178 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.2, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2006-5178 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2006-5178?

CVE-2006-5178 primarily affects Php. In total, 54 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2006-5178?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2006-5178 published?

CVE-2006-5178 was published on 2006-10-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2006-October/049850.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/22235
• http://secunia.com/advisories/22424
• http://securityreason.com/securityalert/1692
• http://securitytracker.com/id?1016977
• http://www.hardened-php.net/advisory_082006.132.html
• http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2006:185
• http://www.neosecurityteam.net/index.php?action=advisories&id=26
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/447649/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/448020/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/448953/100/0/threaded
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/20326
• http://www.turbolinux.com/security/2006/TLSA-2006-38.txt
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/3901
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/29340

Affected products (54)

• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.1:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.1:patch2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.3:patch1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.7:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.7:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.0.7:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.2:*:dev:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.2.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.3.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:4.4.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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All CVEs affecting Php →

Other CWE-362 (Race Condition) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2022-27626 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability regarding concurrent execution using shared resource with improper synchronization ('Race Condition')…
• CVE-2015-8556 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Gentoo QEMU package before 2.5.0-r1.
• CVE-2014-0703 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) devices 7.4 before 7.4.110.0 distribute Aironet IOS software with a race condition…
• CVE-2010-1228 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Multiple race conditions in the sandbox infrastructure in Google Chrome before 4.1.249.1036 have unspecified impact and…
• CVE-2008-6598 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Multiple race conditions in WANPIPE before 3.3.6 have unknown impact and attack vectors related to "bri restart logic."
• CVE-2026-46137 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: pm: ADD_ADDR rtx: fix potential…

Browse all CWE-362 (Race Condition) vulnerabilities →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

• 222.99.52.202 (ipv4-addr)
• 90.160.135.217 (ipv4-addr)
• 62.36.19.42 (ipv4-addr)
• 62.36.19.41 (ipv4-addr)