PHP Memory Exhaustion Exploitation Attempt via Multipart Request
This analytic correlates Apache and Nginx access and error logs when "multipart/form-data" requests and PHP memory-limit exhaustion errors occur for the same PID, host, and client. It extracts web request details and…
Description
This analytic correlates Apache and Nginx access and error logs when "multipart/form-data" requests and PHP memory-limit exhaustion errors occur for the same PID, host, and client. It extracts web request details and "PHP" error messages to support investigation of possible PHP2Shell exploitation attempts.
Detection logic
Detection requirements
- Platform
- ContainersESXiIaaSLinuxmacOSNetwork DevicesWindows
The rule states no platform. This is derived from the ATT&CK technique it maps to.
- Log source category
- nginx_accessnginx_error_log
Known benign triggers
- Legitimate large multipart uploads, application bugs, or load tests can cause memory-limit errors. Review the correlated access and PHP error events before classifying this activity as exploitation.
MITRE ATT&CK mappings
0 exclusive techniques.This is coverage no other published rule has; it is not this rule's total technique count.
References
| Reference | Cited by |
|---|---|
| github.com/php/php-src/commit/3584a98bda0f2c0d367255b046798b0d3a221a19 | 4 |
| www.php2shell.com | 5 |
From the source
- At source
- Open at source
- Upstream identifier
- 53db8c3a-aea4-4eef-9cb4-a20c84b7f133
- Tagged by the source as
- PHP2ShellWeb ApplicationwebSplunk CloudSplunk EnterpriseSplunk Enterprise Securitynetwork
Licence
- Published under
- Apache License 2.0Read the licence
- Attribution
- Required
- Obtained under
- Apache-2.0Read the origin licence
Authorship
- Published
- Oct 23, 2026
- Version
- 1