ZeroDayAlert

CVE-2026-109619: PHP Stale Internal Request-State Vulnerability

PHP contains a stale internal request-state vulnerability that allows for unauthenticated remote code execution.

PHP Group PHP Added to KEV 2026-10-26 Federal due 2026-10-29 Known ransomware use

Required action — quoted from CISA

Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset's internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

Where this comes from. The identifier, product, dates and required action above are copied verbatim from the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The action plan below is written by an AI agent from that record and published automatically. AssurePort has not independently tested this vulnerability and makes no claim about whether any specific system is affected.

Who is affected

This vulnerability affects PHP itself—the server-side scripting language—across deployments where PHP processes user requests. The flaw permits unauthenticated remote code execution via a stale internal request-state condition. The record does not specify which PHP versions are vulnerable, nor does it detail the exact conditions under which the stale state arises.

How to check whether this touches you

  • Inventory: Search your infrastructure for any application or service that runs PHP code, including web frameworks, CMS platforms, and custom applications.
  • Reachability: Establish whether your PHP application receives requests directly from the internet or via a load balancer, CDN, or firewall; unauthenticated exploitation requires network-level access to the vulnerable code path.
  • Running version: Query the PHP version on each affected host using php -v or check application headers and diagnostic pages; version fingerprints are a signal only, as backported security fixes may not increment the release number.
  • Request handling patterns: Review application logs and monitoring for evidence of unusual or repeated requests that might indicate exploitation attempts against the stale-state mechanism.

What to do

  1. Obtain and review the PHP Group's advisory: Locate the vendor's published guidance on CVE-2026-109619 and confirm which versions require patching and which patches are available.
  2. Prioritise based on exposure: Apply CISA BOD 26-04 risk assessment to classify each PHP instance by internet exposure and criticality; systems accepting unauthenticated external requests are highest priority.
  3. Plan patching windows: Schedule PHP updates according to your change control policy; coordinate with application teams to confirm compatibility before deployment.
  4. Implement interim controls if patching is delayed: Restrict network access to PHP services using firewall rules or WAF rules to limit who can trigger request processing; enable request logging to capture any exploitation attempts.
  5. Apply patches and verify: Deploy the vendor-supplied mitigations, then confirm the patched PHP version is running in production.
  6. Escalate if mitigations are unavailable: If no patch exists for your PHP version or deployment model, follow BOD 26-04 guidance; if the product cannot be remediated, evaluate discontinuation or isolation.

If you find you were exposed

Exploitation of unauthenticated remote code execution typically occurs before public disclosure, so retrospective detection requires examination of request logs, web server access logs, and application-level audit trails dating back weeks or months. Correlate timing with the CVE publication date and look for anomalous payloads or PHP execution patterns. Log retention is often the limiting factor; if you retain fewer than 30 days of detailed logs, consider it a gap in your forensic capability and plan to extend retention for future incidents.

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Knowing it exists is not the same as knowing you are exposed.

This page can tell you that CVE-2026-109619 is being exploited. It cannot tell you whether PHP is running somewhere of yours that is reachable. That question is what a scan answers.

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