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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.

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