critical CVSS 9.8

CVE-2026-25234·PHP vulnerability

PEAR is a framework and distribution system for reusable PHP components. Prior to version 1.33.0, a SQL injection vulnerability in category deletion can allow an attacker with access to the category manager workflow to inject SQL via a category id. This issue has been patched in version 1.33.0.

Severity
critical
Software
PHP
Fixed in
1.33.0
Published
2026-02-03

Affected versions

Until: 1.33.0

Fixed in: 1.33.0

How to fix this CVE

Organizations running PHP with PEAR framework versions prior to 1.33.0 must upgrade immediately to patch a critical SQL injection flaw in the category management workflow. This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious category identifiers, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or modification. Update PHP and PEAR components to version 1.33.0 or later as soon as possible to eliminate this exposure.

sudo dnf update php php-pear

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST|GET request to admin panel with 'category' or 'catid' parameter containing SQL metacharacters (single quotes, double dashes, semicolons) followed by 'DELETE' keywords; pattern: /(catid|category_id)=.*(['"]|--|;|union|select|drop)/i

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Implement input validation rules blocking any category ID parameters containing SQL syntax characters (', ", --, ;, UNION, SELECT, DROP). Apply parameterized query enforcement at the application layer and restrict category deletion operations to HTTPS POST requests with valid CSRF tokens.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Step 1: Check installed PHP and PEAR versions with `php -v` and `pear -v` to identify if vulnerable versions are in use
  2. Step 2: Verify PEAR installation location with `pear config-get php_dir` and inspect the pearweb component version in the installation directory
  3. Step 3: Search web server logs (Apache/Nginx) for SQL error patterns like 'SQL syntax' or 'database error' followed by suspicious category ID parameters in URLs containing 'category' or 'catid' parameters
  4. Step 4: After patching, re-run `pear -v` and `php -v` to confirm version numbers match 1.33.0 or higher, and test category deletion functionality in the PEAR admin panel

FAQ

What is CVE-2026-25234?

This is a critical SQL injection vulnerability in PEAR's category deletion feature that permits authenticated managers to inject arbitrary SQL commands through specially crafted category identifiers, compromising database integrity and confidentiality.

Is CVE-2026-25234 being actively exploited?

No, this vulnerability is not currently listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, and no public exploits have been disclosed as of this advisory.

What versions of PHP are affected by CVE-2026-25234?

All PHP installations with PEAR framework versions prior to 1.33.0 are vulnerable; the exact affected version range extends from legacy versions up to and including 1.32.x.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2026-25234?

Run `pear -v` to display your installed PEAR version; if the output shows a version number below 1.33.0, your system is vulnerable and requires immediate patching.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2026-25234?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If PHP and PEAR are installed on a monitored server, CVE-2026-25234 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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