MEDIUM
CVE-2015-8476
CWE-20Published: December 16, 2015· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.0
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
Multiple CRLF injection vulnerabilities in PHPMailer before 5.2.14 allow attackers to inject arbitrary SMTP commands via CRLF sequences in an (1) email address to the validateAddress function in class.phpmailer.php or (2) SMTP command to the sendCommand function in class.smtp.php, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0796.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2015-8476 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.
User Interaction
Scope
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityP
AvailabilityNone
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
Affected Vendors & Products
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
phpmailer_project1 product(s)
phpmailer
Source: NVD CPE · 4 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (16)
→
https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.14Vendor Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2015-8476
CVSS Score5.0 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-20
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 16, 2015
Related CVEs (CWE-20)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2015-8476 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.