CVE-2016-10131: Bcit ci/codeigniter CodeIgniter Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-2pcj-76hj-xqhm
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CVSS 9.8
CWE-74
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2016-10131 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) codeigniter arbitrary code execution vulnerability (CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')) affecting Bcit ci/codeigniter libraries in the Packagist ecosystem. The issue involves codeigniter arbitrary code execution. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.1.3.

CVE-2016-10131 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2016-10131
GHSA Identifier GHSA-2pcj-76hj-xqhm
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
Affected Product Bcit ci/codeigniter
Package Ecosystem Packagist
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2016-10131

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Bcit ci/codeigniter dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

bcit-ci/codeigniter fixed: 3.1.3 
Upgrade bcit-ci/codeigniter to 3.1.3
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for bcit-ci/codeigniter

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2016-10131, inspect your project dependencies for Bcit ci/codeigniter:

inspect dependencies for bcit-ci/codeigniter

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Bcit ci/codeigniter in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.1.3), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component. In Bcit ci/codeigniter, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

system/libraries/Email.php in CodeIgniter before 3.1.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging control over the email->from field to insert sendmail command-line arguments.

CVE-2016-10131 Affected Bcit ci/codeigniter Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.1.3
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
bcit-ci/codeigniter
 Packagist
< 3.1.3
3.1.3

References

NVD — CVE-2016-10131 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10131
Bcit ci/codeigniter Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/issues/4844
Bcit ci/codeigniter Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/issues/4963
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/commit/8db01f13809a92bac7bc95b02893175d7654d627
Bcit ci/codeigniter Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/codeigniter4/framework
www.codeigniter.com/userguide3/changelo... WEB
https://www.codeigniter.com/userguide3/changelog.html#bug-fixes-for-3-1-3
Bcit ci/codeigniter Security Information SECURITY
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96851

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-10131?
CVE-2016-10131 is a security vulnerability in Bcit ci/codeigniter involving CodeIgniter arbitrary code execution under CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection').
Which Bcit ci/codeigniter versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.1.3 across affected packages: bcit-ci/codeigniter.
What version fixes CVE-2016-10131?
Upgrading to 3.1.3 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is bcit-ci/codeigniter affected?
Yes, bcit-ci/codeigniter is affected in releases prior to 3.1.3. Upgrade your dependency to 3.1.3 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2016-10131?
CVE-2016-10131 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2016-10131?
CVE-2016-10131 is classified under CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') (The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.).
How can I check Packagist dependencies for CVE-2016-10131?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for bcit-ci/codeigniter'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-2pcj-76hj-xqhm",
  "modified" : "2026-07-06T15:01:17Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T02:55:21Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2016-10131" ],
  "summary" : "CodeIgniter arbitrary code execution",
  "details" : "system/libraries/Email.php in CodeIgniter before 3.1.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by leveraging control over the email->from field to insert sendmail command-line arguments.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "bcit-ci/codeigniter"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.1.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10131"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/issues/4844"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/issues/4963"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bcit-ci/CodeIgniter/commit/8db01f13809a92bac7bc95b02893175d7654d627"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/codeigniter4/framework"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.codeigniter.com/userguide3/changelog.html#bug-fixes-for-3-1-3"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96851"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-74" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-04-24T17:49:18Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2017-01-12T06:59:00Z"
  }
}