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PHP2Shell in Hostinger: is it affected and how to fix it

Quick verdict

Affected until you install the vendor's fixed release.

Vendor status: Vendor fix available
PHP: managed plans: patched builds 5.2 – 8.5
Last checked: 2026-10-22

Hostinger's blog post (updated 22 October, 07:20 UTC) says PHP's fix is installed on all of its hosting servers except VPS, with the rollout completed on 22 October at 06:44 UTC; patched builds cover every version from 5.2 to 8.5 on Web, Cloud and cPanel hosting, and Agency hosting already ran patched builds. Before that it added deny-mode ModSecurity rules for known exploit patterns, turned off session.upload_progress on its LiteSpeed, PHP Selector, cPanel PHP-FPM and phpMyAdmin setups, and rejects malformed upload requests. On managed plans the fix is built into the version your site already uses, so the version number may not change. Hostinger says it has seen no rise in malware infections since disclosure. VPS customers manage PHP themselves and must update it.

How to check the PHP version Hostinger uses

Run the command for your setup. A version at or above 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 or 8.5.12 in its branch is fixed; older branches are fixed only by a vendor build that says so.

php -v

Managed plans: in the Hostinger dashboard open Websites → Dashboard → PHP Info; a Build Date of 21 October 2026 or later means the fix is in. Run php -v only on a VPS you manage yourself.

The command-line php can differ from the PHP that serves the site. To be sure, check the web SAPI (a temporary phpinfo() page behind authentication, or the panel's PHP settings) and remove it afterwards. Our version checker compares a version number for you.

🔎 Got a version number? Paste it into the PHP2Shell checker →

How to fix PHP2Shell in Hostinger

Find out where the PHP that runs this application comes from: your distribution, a third-party repository (Ondřej Surý, Remi), a hosting panel, a Docker image or your host.
Update that PHP to 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, 8.5.12 or a vendor build with the backported fix, and restart every PHP worker.
On shared or managed hosting you cannot patch PHP yourself: ask the host whether the fixed PHP is deployed, and switch the site to a fixed version in the panel.
If the site still runs PHP 8.1 or older, move it to a supported branch; PHP published only source patches for 7.4, 8.0 and 8.1.

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If you cannot patch yet

Set session.upload_progress.enabled = 0 where applications cannot override it (php.ini, php_admin_value in the FPM pool or Apache config), and restart PHP.
On PHP 8.5, set fatal_error_backtraces = 0.
PHP's interim advice also covers memory_limit and a low post_max_size; follow the remediation page exactly, because these settings only reduce some paths.
Restrict access (VPN, IP allowlist) or take the service offline if it runs PHP 8.1 or older with no vendor backport. WAF rules help but are not a fix.

FAQ

Is Hostinger affected by PHP2Shell?

Affected until you install the vendor's fixed release. Hostinger's blog post (updated 22 October, 07:20 UTC) says PHP's fix is installed on all of its hosting servers except VPS, with the rollout completed on 22 October at 06:44 UTC; patched builds cover every version from 5.2 to 8.5 on Web, Cloud and cPanel hosting, and Agency hosting already ran patched builds. Before that it added deny-mode ModSecurity rules for known exploit patterns, turned off session.upload_progress on its LiteSpeed, PHP Selector, cPanel PHP-FPM and phpMyAdmin setups, and rejects malformed upload requests. On managed plans the fix is built into the version your site already uses, so the version number may not change. Hostinger says it has seen no rise in malware infections since disclosure. VPS customers manage PHP themselves and must update it.

Does updating Hostinger itself fix CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619?

Only if the update contains fixed PHP. PHP2Shell is a flaw in the PHP interpreter, so what matters is the PHP that Hostinger runs on. Check the version after updating.

Which PHP versions fix PHP2Shell?

PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 and 8.5.12, released 21 October 2026. PHP 8.1 and older get no release from the PHP project; only vendor builds with a backport (or a self-built source patch for 7.4, 8.0 and 8.1) fix them.

What if Hostinger has no fix yet?

Keep its PHP-based web interface off the internet (VPN or IP allowlist), apply PHP's interim settings such as disabling session upload progress, and install the vendor update as soon as it ships. Interim settings reduce risk but are not a fix.

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Sources

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Unofficial summary of public sources. This site is not affiliated with the vendor or the PHP project and hosts no exploit code.