CVE-2026-41570: PHPUnit: Argument injection via newline in PHP INI values forwarded to child processes
PHPUnit is a testing framework for PHP. In versions 12.5.21 and 13.1.5, PHPUnit forwards PHP INI settings to child processes (used for isolated/PHPT test execution) as -d name=value command-line arguments without neutralizing INI metacharacters. Because PHP's INI parser interprets " as a string delimiter, ; as the start of a comment, and most importantly a newline as a directive separator, a value containing a newline is parsed by the child process as multiple INI directives. An attacker able to influence a single INI value can therefore inject arbitrary additional directives into the child's configuration, including autoprependfile, extension, disablefunctions, openbasedir, and others. Setting autoprependfile to an attacker-controlled path yields remote code execution in the child process. This issue has been patched in versions 12.5.22 and 13.1.6.
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-41570?
CVE-2026-41570 has a medium severity rating due to the potential for argument injection via newline in PHP INI values.
How do I fix CVE-2026-41570?
To fix CVE-2026-41570, upgrade PHPUnit to a version newer than 12.5.21 and 13.1.5.
What versions are affected by CVE-2026-41570?
CVE-2026-41570 affects PHPUnit versions 12.5.21 and 13.1.5.
What is the nature of the vulnerability identified in CVE-2026-41570?
CVE-2026-41570 involves argument injection via newline in PHP INI values forwarded to child processes.
What should I do if I cannot upgrade to fix CVE-2026-41570?
If you cannot upgrade, consider disabling the features that forward PHP INI settings to child processes as a temporary mitigation.