CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-7262NVD status: Modified

PHP: NULL Pointer Dereference

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-7262 is a high-severity NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in PHP from PHP Group, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 8.2.31, 8.3.31, 8.4.21 as the first without the flaw, so updating PHP to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.78% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 57% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update PHP to 8.2.31 or 8.3.31 or 8.4.21 or 8.5.6, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
PHP GroupPHP8.2.* up to, but not including, 8.2.31; 8.3.* up to, but not including, 8.3.31; 8.4.* up to, but not including, 8.4.21; 8.5.* up to, but not including, 8.5.68.2.31, 8.3.31, 8.4.21, 8.5.6
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 6Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7Not specified in the recordNot stated
Red HatRed Hat Hardened ImagesNot specified in the recordNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 4.02.9LowCNA (php.net)
CVSS 3.17.5HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.5HighCNA

Official description

In PHP versions 8.2.* before 8.2.31, 8.3.* before 8.3.31, 8.4.* before 8.4.21, and 8.5.* before 8.5.6, when a SOAP server has a typemap configured, the decoding process contains a mistake which checks the wrong variable in case of missing value element. This leads to dereferences a NULL pointer, causing a segmentation fault. This allows a remote unauthenticated attacker to crash the PHP SOAP server process, resulting in denial of service.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: NULL Pointer Dereference

The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For any pointers that could have been modified or provided from a function that can return NULL, check the pointer for NULL before use. When working with a multithreaded or otherwise asynchronous environment, ensure that proper locking APIs are used to lock before the check, and unlock when it has finished.
  • Select a programming language that is not susceptible to these issues.
  • Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is non-null before acting upon it.

More NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities (CWE-476)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in PHP

All PHP vulnerabilities

Recent NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerabilities

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