CVE-2026-25129
January 30, 2026
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.
Affected Packages
psy/psysh (PHP):
Affected version(s) >=v0.12.0 <v0.12.19Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v0.12.19psy/psysh (PHP):
Affected version(s) >=v0.1.0 <v0.11.23Fix Suggestion:
Update to version v0.11.23Related Resources (5)
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Contact UsCVSS v4
Base Score:
5.4
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
HIGH
Attack Requirements
NONE
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
PASSIVE
Vulnerable System Confidentiality
HIGH
Vulnerable System Integrity
HIGH
Vulnerable System Availability
HIGH
Subsequent System Confidentiality
NONE
Subsequent System Integrity
NONE
Subsequent System Availability
NONE
CVSS v3
Base Score:
6.7
Attack Vector
LOCAL
Attack Complexity
HIGH
Privileges Required
LOW
User Interaction
REQUIRED
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Weakness Type (CWE)
Uncontrolled Search Path Element
EPSS
Base Score:
0.01