HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2017-11503
MEDIUM

CVE-2017-11503

CWE-79Published: July 20, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

6.1
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

PHPMailer 5.2.23 has XSS in the "From Email Address" and "To Email Address" fields of code_generator.php.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2017-11503 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-79): Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

phpmailer_project1 product(s)
phpmailer
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

All References (10)

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/99293/Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039026Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://cxsecurity.com/issue/WLB-2017060181Exploit · Third Party Advisory
https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/143138/phpmailer-xss.txtExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/releases/tag/v5.2.24Patch · Release Notes · Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/99293/Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039026Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
https://cxsecurity.com/issue/WLB-2017060181Exploit · Third Party Advisory
https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/143138/phpmailer-xss.txtExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2017-11503
CVSS Score6.1 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-79
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJul 20, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-79)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2017-11503 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.