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PHP2Shell in Liquid Web: is it affected and how to fix it

Quick verdict

Affected; a fix exists for some versions or components only.

Vendor status: Partly fixed
PHP: patched builds deploying · cPanel/Plesk 8.2–8.5 + 7.4–8.1 backports · CloudLinux backports 5.2–8.5 · run a package update if not yet patched
Last checked: 2026-10-22

Liquid Web's status page incident “PHP Security Vulnerability Assessment (CVE-2026-109618 & CVE-2026-109619)” says in its latest update (22 October, 10:33 EDT, i.e. 14:33 UTC) that its engineering teams are still deploying patched PHP builds across its hosting infrastructure. The builds it lists: on cPanel EasyApache 4, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35 plus vendor backports 8.1.34-5, 8.0.30-12 and 7.4.33-19; on CloudLinux EasyApache 4 (added in this update), backported builds for every branch from 5.2 to 8.5, such as ea-php56 5.6.40-25, ea-php74 7.4.33-18, ea-php81 8.1.34-4, ea-php82 8.2.34-2, ea-php83 8.3.35-2, ea-php84 8.4.26-2 and ea-php85 8.5.11-2, so the version number on those servers can stay below the upstream fix; on Plesk 18.0.81.4, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35 plus builds of the end-of-life 8.1, 8.0 and 7.4 branches dated 21 October; on Windows Plesk, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35. Liquid Web asks customers to confirm their build with a phpinfo() file and, if it is not patched yet, to run a package update through the control panel (on cPanel/WHM, a cPanel update followed by a yum update), and says it will email customers tailored information where it can. Sites on unsupported PHP versions should move to a supported version as soon as possible.

How to check the PHP version Liquid Web 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

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 Liquid Web

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 Liquid Web affected by PHP2Shell?

Affected; a fix exists for some versions or components only. Liquid Web's status page incident “PHP Security Vulnerability Assessment (CVE-2026-109618 & CVE-2026-109619)” says in its latest update (22 October, 10:33 EDT, i.e. 14:33 UTC) that its engineering teams are still deploying patched PHP builds across its hosting infrastructure. The builds it lists: on cPanel EasyApache 4, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35 plus vendor backports 8.1.34-5, 8.0.30-12 and 7.4.33-19; on CloudLinux EasyApache 4 (added in this update), backported builds for every branch from 5.2 to 8.5, such as ea-php56 5.6.40-25, ea-php74 7.4.33-18, ea-php81 8.1.34-4, ea-php82 8.2.34-2, ea-php83 8.3.35-2, ea-php84 8.4.26-2 and ea-php85 8.5.11-2, so the version number on those servers can stay below the upstream fix; on Plesk 18.0.81.4, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35 plus builds of the end-of-life 8.1, 8.0 and 7.4 branches dated 21 October; on Windows Plesk, PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 and 8.2.35. Liquid Web asks customers to confirm their build with a phpinfo() file and, if it is not patched yet, to run a package update through the control panel (on cPanel/WHM, a cPanel update followed by a yum update), and says it will email customers tailored information where it can. Sites on unsupported PHP versions should move to a supported version as soon as possible.

Does updating Liquid Web 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 Liquid Web 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 Liquid Web 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.