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CVE Record

CVE-2026-25129: PsySH has Local Privilege Escalation via CWD .psysh.php auto-load

PsySH is a runtime developer console, interactive debugger, and REPL for PHP. Prior to versions 0.11.23 and 0.12.19, PsySH automatically loads and executes a `.psysh.php` file from the Current Working Directory (CWD) on startup. If an attacker can write to a directory that a victim later uses as their CWD when launching PsySH, the attacker can trigger arbitrary code execution in the victim's context. When the victim runs PsySH with elevated privileges (e.g., root), this results in local privilege escalation. This is a CWD configuration poisoning issue leading to arbitrary code execution in the victim user’s context. If a privileged user (e.g., root, a CI runner, or an ops/debug account) launches PsySH with CWD set to an attacker-writable directory containing a malicious `.psysh.php`, the attacker can execute commands with that privileged user’s permissions, resulting in local privilege escalation. Downstream consumers that embed PsySH inherit this risk. For example, Laravel Tinker (`php artisan tinker`) uses PsySH. If a privileged user runs Tinker while their shell is in an attacker-writable directory, the `.psysh.php` auto-load behavior can be abused in the same way to execute attacker-controlled code under the victim’s privileges. Versions 0.11.23 and 0.12.19 patch the issue.

MediumCVSS 6.7Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

PsySH could run a configuration file from the directory where it is started. If an attacker can place that file in a shared or writable directory, and an administrator later starts PsySH there, attacker code may run with the administrator’s permissions. This is mainly a local or shared-environment privilege escalation risk.

Executive priority

Treat as a targeted local privilege escalation issue, not an internet-scale emergency. Prioritize developer, CI, and operations systems where privileged users run PHP debugging tools in writable directories.

Technical view

Before PsySH 0.11.23 and 0.12.19, startup behavior automatically loaded `.psysh.php` from the current working directory. This CWD configuration poisoning issue maps to CWE-427 and can produce arbitrary code execution in the victim user context. Downstream tools embedding PsySH, including Laravel Tinker, may inherit exposure under the same conditions.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on developer workstations, servers, CI runners, or operations environments where PsySH or embedded consumers are launched from writable project, build, temporary, or shared directories.

Exploitation context

The attacker needs local write access to a directory that a victim later uses as the working directory when launching PsySH. User interaction is required. The source bundle does not indicate known active exploitation or CISA KEV listing.

Researcher notes

The key condition is unsafe trust in CWD-loaded configuration. Impact depends on write access, victim working directory, and victim privileges. Sources name patched versions but provide no evidence of remote exploitation or active abuse.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade PsySH to 0.11.23 or 0.12.19, depending on the installed branch.
  • Update downstream dependencies that bundle or invoke PsySH after reviewing vendor guidance.
  • Avoid launching PsySH or Laravel Tinker with elevated privileges from writable directories.
  • Restrict write permissions on shared project, build, and temporary directories used by privileged users.
  • Review vendor advisory and release notes before applying changes in production environments.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory applications and tooling that depend on PsySH, including Laravel Tinker usage.
  • Check dependency manifests and lockfiles for vulnerable PsySH version ranges.
  • Identify privileged accounts or CI jobs that launch PsySH-related tooling.
  • Review writable directories used as working directories by privileged operators or automation.
  • Confirm upgraded environments report PsySH 0.11.23, 0.12.19, or later.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

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

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-427: Exact CWE lookup

Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Privilege behavior lookup

The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-25129 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.7 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.7CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H0.85.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

6.7Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-25129Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
bobthecowpsysh< 0.11.23, >= 0.12.0, < 0.12.19Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-427 · source CWE mapping

Uncontrolled Search Path Element

Uncontrolled Search Path Element represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.