CVE-2013-4248: The openssl_x509_parse function in openssl.c in the OpenSSL module in PHP before 5.4.18 and 5.5.x before 5....

Security readout for executives and security teams

Older PHP versions can misread a certificate name containing a null character. In a man-in-the-middle situation, that could let an attacker make a certificate appear valid for a different SSL server. This matters mainly for legacy systems using affected PHP OpenSSL certificate parsing behavior. Exposure is most likely on legacy PHP 5.4 or 5.5 deployments, especially applications that parse X.509 certificates or depend on PHP OpenSSL output for SSL identity checks. Treat as a legacy exposure cleanup item unless affected PHP is still in production for trust-sensitive workflows. Escalate remediation if old PHP handles authentication, payments, API connections, or certificate validation. Mitigation focus: Upgrade PHP to at least 5.4.18 or 5.5.2, or a supported modern release.; Check vendor advisories for distribution-specific fixed packages.; Prioritize systems that perform certificate parsing or custom SSL validation..

Prepared

Jun 14, 2026, 21:50 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.