Home Plans Products
Tools
Technology Trends Keyword Lists Browser Extensions
Features
Lead Generation Market Analysis Sales Intelligence
Resources
FAQ About Contact Blog
Account
Login Sign up
Home / Blog / PHP 7.0
Security Advisory

PHP 7.0 Security: 156 CVEs Found - Urgent Update Guide

📅 June 07, 2026 ·⏱ 5 min read ·🔒 SiteRecipe Security Team
531 websites still running PHP 7.0  → View full list
156
Total
61
Critical
67
High
25
Medium
2
Low

PHP 7.0 reached end-of-life in December 2018, yet over 531 websites still run this vulnerable version. Security researchers have identified 156 known vulnerabilities affecting PHP 7.0, including 61 critical flaws that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on your server. These aren't theoretical threats—they're actively exploited in the wild by cybercriminals targeting outdated installations.

If your website runs PHP 7.0, you're operating with a massive security liability. Critical vulnerabilities like CVE-2015-8617 (format string attacks), CVE-2016-2554 (buffer overflow), and CVE-2016-4071 (remote code execution via SNMP) have been public knowledge for years, yet thousands of sites remain unpatched. This guide will help you identify whether you're at risk and provide a clear roadmap to upgrade your PHP version immediately.

Don't wait for a breach to force action. Upgrading PHP is one of the most important security decisions you can make for your website.

What is Php 7.0?

PHP 7.0 was released in December 2015 as a major update that promised significant performance improvements and modern programming features. It was widely adopted by WordPress sites, e-commerce platforms, and web applications worldwide. However, like all software, PHP 7.0 had security flaws that were discovered and patched in subsequent versions. When Zend officially ended support for PHP 7.0 in December 2018, no more security updates were released—meaning any new vulnerabilities discovered after that date would never be fixed.

Think of PHP as the engine that powers your website. Using an outdated, unsupported version is like driving a car with known brakes failures. Sure, it might still run, but the risks are catastrophic. Every day your site runs PHP 7.0, you're exposed to 156 known attack vectors that hackers can exploit. Worse, plugin developers and WordPress security teams have stopped testing compatibility with PHP 7.0, leaving your site increasingly isolated from security updates and modern protections.

Key Vulnerabilities in Php 7.0

156 CVEs found. The most critical are explained below.

CRITICAL CVE-2020-24186 10.0/10 · CVSS v3.1 ⏱ Immediate
WordPress wpDiscuz Plugin Allows Unauthorized File Upload

The wpDiscuz plugin for WordPress has a serious flaw that lets anyone upload files to your website without permission. An attacker could upload dangerous files, like PHP scripts, that give them control over your entire site.

Impact: An attacker could take complete control of your website, steal customer data, inject malware, or shut down your site entirely.

↗ View on NVD
CRITICAL CVE-2026-24848 9.9/10 · CVSS v3.1 ⏱ Immediate
OpenEMR Allows Writing Files to Server

OpenEMR medical records software has a vulnerability where authorized users can write files anywhere on the server. An attacker with even limited access could overwrite critical files and compromise the entire system.

Impact: Patient data could be exposed, corrupted, or deleted. An attacker could take control of your medical records system and potentially access sensitive health information.

↗ View on NVD
CRITICAL CVE-2015-8617 9.8/10 · CVSS v3.0 ⏱ Immediate
PHP Format String Code Execution Vulnerability

PHP 7.0 has a flaw in how it handles error messages that allows attackers to inject malicious code. If your website uses PHP 7.0, attackers could execute commands on your server by crafting special error messages.

Impact: An attacker could execute arbitrary code on your server, giving them full control of your website and access to all data.

↗ View on NVD
CRITICAL CVE-2016-2554 9.8/10 · CVSS v3.0 ⏱ Immediate
PHP Vulnerability with TAR File Processing

PHP 7.0 has a flaw when processing TAR archive files that could cause the application to crash or behave unpredictably. An attacker could upload a specially crafted TAR file to exploit this weakness.

Impact: Your website could crash and become unavailable. In worst cases, attackers could gain control of your server.

↗ View on NVD
CRITICAL CVE-2016-4071 9.8/10 · CVSS v3.0 ⏱ Immediate
PHP SNMP Format String Code Execution

If your website uses PHP's SNMP feature (for network monitoring), PHP 7.0 has a vulnerability that lets attackers execute malicious code. An attacker could craft special SNMP requests to run commands on your server.

Impact: An attacker could execute code on your server, steal data, or take control of your website.

↗ View on NVD
CRITICAL CVE-2016-4072 9.8/10 · CVSS v3.0 ⏱ Immediate
PHP Phar Extension Code Execution via Filename

PHP 7.0's file handling system has a flaw where specially crafted filenames can be exploited to run malicious code. An attacker could upload a file with a dangerous name to compromise your site.

Impact: An attacker could execute arbitrary code on your server and gain full control of your website.

↗ View on NVD

Additional Vulnerabilities (150 more)

Showing first 10 of 150. View all on NVD ↗

CVE IDSeverityScore PublishedDescription
CVE-2016-4073 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-20 Multiple integer overflows in the mbfl_strcut function in ext/mbstring/libmbfl/mbfl/mbfilter.c in PHP before 5.5.34, 5.6.x before 5.6.20, and 7.x before 7.0.5 allow remote attacke…
CVE-2015-8880 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 Double free vulnerability in the format printer in PHP 7.x before 7.0.1 allows remote attackers to have an unspecified impact by triggering an error.
CVE-2016-4344 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 Integer overflow in the xml_utf8_encode function in ext/xml/xml.c in PHP before 7.0.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impac…
CVE-2016-4345 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 Integer overflow in the php_filter_encode_url function in ext/filter/sanitizing_filters.c in PHP before 7.0.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have…
CVE-2016-4346 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 Integer overflow in the str_pad function in ext/standard/string.c in PHP before 7.0.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impac…
CVE-2016-4537 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 The bcpowmod function in ext/bcmath/bcmath.c in PHP before 5.5.35, 5.6.x before 5.6.21, and 7.x before 7.0.6 accepts a negative integer for the scale argument, which allows remote…
CVE-2016-4538 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 The bcpowmod function in ext/bcmath/bcmath.c in PHP before 5.5.35, 5.6.x before 5.6.21, and 7.x before 7.0.6 modifies certain data structures without considering whether they are …
CVE-2016-4539 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 The xml_parse_into_struct function in ext/xml/xml.c in PHP before 5.5.35, 5.6.x before 5.6.21, and 7.x before 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer un…
CVE-2016-4540 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 The grapheme_stripos function in ext/intl/grapheme/grapheme_string.c in PHP before 5.5.35, 5.6.x before 5.6.21, and 7.x before 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of s…
CVE-2016-4541 CRITICAL 9.8 2016-05-22 The grapheme_strpos function in ext/intl/grapheme/grapheme_string.c in PHP before 5.5.35, 5.6.x before 5.6.21, and 7.x before 7.0.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of se…
Full Report Available

All 156 CVEs with AI explanations + fix guide

Plain English · Fix recommendations · Instant PDF & HTML download

⬇ Get Full Report
PDF + HTML · Instant download

Is your website running Php 7.0?

Scan your site in 30 seconds. Used by 500+ web agencies.

How to Check If Your Website Is Affected

How to Fix These Vulnerabilities

Conclusion

Running PHP 7.0 in 2024 is like leaving your front door unlocked with a sign inviting burglars inside. With 61 critical vulnerabilities and zero ongoing security support, upgrading isn't optional—it's essential. The good news is that modern PHP versions (8.0+) are faster, more secure, and better supported than ever before. Most websites can upgrade with minimal effort and actually see improved performance.

Don't become another breach statistic. Use SiteRecipe.com's free server health scanner to identify all outdated software on your site, including PHP version, plugin vulnerabilities, and SSL certificate status. Our platform provides one-click upgrade assistance and tracks your security posture continuously. Get started today—your website's security depends on it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my plugins don't support PHP 8.0+?
First, check with the plugin developer for an updated version—most abandoned plugins have free alternatives that are actively maintained. If a critical plugin has no modern version, it's time to switch solutions. Staying on PHP 7.0 for legacy plugin support is far riskier than switching plugins. Contact your hosting provider; they can often assist with plugin migration.
Will upgrading PHP break my website?
Possibly minor issues may occur, which is why backups are essential. However, most WordPress sites upgrade smoothly because hosting providers test thoroughly. Even if issues arise, they're fixable—whereas a security breach from PHP 7.0 vulnerabilities could be catastrophic and costly. The risk of not upgrading is significantly higher than the risk of upgrading.
How long does a PHP upgrade take?
The actual upgrade typically takes 5-15 minutes on most hosting platforms. Testing and verification might take 1-2 hours depending on your site's complexity. Your hosting provider can often handle the technical upgrade automatically, with you only needing to test and verify everything works. Plan for a few hours of downtime to be safe.
Why do hosting companies still offer PHP 7.0?
Hosting providers keep legacy versions available because some older sites still use them. However, they strongly recommend upgrades and may eventually force migrations when security risks become too severe. Most providers offer guided upgrade paths and support to make the transition smooth.

Generate white-label reports for your clients

Web agencies use SiteRecipe to produce branded PDF security reports in 30 seconds.

DISCLAIMER: This report is based on publicly available CVE data from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) maintained by NIST. Detection of a technology version does not confirm active exploitation on any specific website. For informational purposes only. SiteRecipe is not responsible for actions taken based on this report. Always consult a qualified security professional.

Source: nvd.nist.gov · Published: June 07, 2026 · SiteRecipe.com