medium CVSS 6.5

CVE-2025-14178·PHP vulnerability

In PHP versions:8.1.* before 8.1.34, 8.2.* before 8.2.30, 8.3.* before 8.3.29, 8.4.* before 8.4.16, 8.5.* before 8.5.1, a heap buffer overflow occurs in array_merge() when the total element count of packed arrays exceeds 32-bit limits or HT_MAX_SIZE, due to an integer overflow in the precomputation of element counts using zend_hash_num_elements(). This may lead to memory corruption or crashes and affect the integrity and availability of the target server.

Severity
medium
Software
PHP
Fixed in
8.5.1
Published
2025-12-27

Affected versions

From: 8.5.0

Until: 8.5.1

Fixed in: 8.5.1

How to fix this CVE

Update PHP to version 8.5.1 or later to fix a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the array_merge() function that can occur when processing arrays with extremely large element counts. This vulnerability may cause memory corruption, server crashes, or data integrity issues. Upgrade your PHP installation immediately across all affected systems.

sudo dnf update php -y && sudo systemctl restart php-fpm

Defensia detects this vulnerability

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check your current PHP version by running: php -v or php --version
  2. Verify if array_merge() is used in your application codebase by searching for 'array_merge(' in your source files and third-party packages
  3. Monitor application error logs and system logs for segmentation faults or 'memory corruption' errors: grep -i 'segfault\|memory corruption' /var/log/syslog /var/log/php*.log
  4. Confirm the patched version is installed by running: php -v and verifying the version number is 8.5.1 or greater

FAQ

What is CVE-2025-14178?

CVE-2025-14178 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in PHP's array_merge() function that occurs when processing packed arrays with element counts exceeding 32-bit integer limits, potentially causing memory corruption or application crashes.

Is CVE-2025-14178 being actively exploited?

No, CVE-2025-14178 is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog and no public exploits are available.

What versions of PHP are affected by CVE-2025-14178?

PHP 8.5.0 is affected. Versions 8.1.x (before 8.1.34), 8.2.x (before 8.2.30), 8.3.x (before 8.3.29), and 8.4.x (before 8.4.16) are also impacted. The vulnerability is fixed in PHP 8.5.1 and later.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2025-14178?

Run 'php -v' to display your installed PHP version. If it shows 8.5.0 or an earlier affected version from the 8.1.x, 8.2.x, 8.3.x, or 8.4.x branches, your server is vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2025-14178?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If PHP is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2025-14178 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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