Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Validation Placeholders
CodeIgniter is a PHP full-stack web framework. This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when you use Validation Placeholders. The vulnerability exists in the Validation library, and validation methods in the controller and in-model validation are also vulnerable because they use the Validation library internally. This issue is patched in version 4.3.5.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
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We use this product, ask for help- Published
- May 30, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.1% · 65th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-94
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Report tools
Action score
39
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 9.8
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 9.8
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| codeigniter | codeigniter | cpe:2.3:a:codeigniter:codeigniter |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- codeigniter codeigniterbefore 4.3.5
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
codeigniter4 CodeIgniter4
- < 4.3.5affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packagist | codeigniter4/framework | before 4.3.5 | 4.3.5 |
Same product
codeigniter: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2014-8684CodeIgniter before 3.0 and Kohana 3.2.3 and earlier and 3.3.x through 3.3.2 make it easier for remote attackers to spoof session cookies and61This week
- CVE-2022-21647Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Codeigniter450Plan
- CVE-2014-8686CodeIgniter before 2.2.0 makes it easier for attackers to decode session cookies by leveraging fallback to a custom XOR-based encryption sch50Plan
- CVE-2015-5725SQL injection vulnerability in the offset method in the Active Record class in CodeIgniter before 2.2.4 allows remote attackers to execute a40Plan
- CVE-2016-10131system/libraries/Email.php in CodeIgniter before 3.1.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging control over the emai40Plan
- CVE-2025-54418CodeIgniter4's ImageMagick Handler has Command Injection Vulnerability39Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| codeigniter4 CodeIgniter4 | 4.3.5 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
| Packagist:codeigniter4/framework | 4.3.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | stars:2 | 2026-05-19 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Published
- First PoC+1085 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+1220 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- github.com/codeigniter4/CodeIgniter4/blob/develop/CHANGELOG.md
- github.com/codeigniter4/CodeIgniter4/security/advisories/GHSA-m6m8-6gq8-c9fj
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.