CVE-2026-10287 Overview
CVE-2026-10287 is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in SourceCodester SEO Meta Tag Extractor 1.0. The flaw resides in the get_headers function call inside /index.php. An attacker controls the url argument, causing the application to issue arbitrary outbound HTTP requests from the server. The issue is exploitable remotely without authentication and has been publicly disclosed [CWE-918].
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can coerce the application into making requests to internal services, cloud metadata endpoints, or arbitrary external hosts, enabling reconnaissance and potential pivoting into otherwise inaccessible network segments.
Affected Products
- SourceCodester SEO Meta Tag Extractor 1.0
- The vulnerable file /index.php
- The vulnerable function get_headers
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-01 - CVE-2026-10287 published to NVD
- 2026-06-02 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-10287
Vulnerability Analysis
The application accepts a user-supplied url parameter through /index.php and passes it directly to PHP's get_headers function. Because the input is not validated, normalized, or constrained to an allowlist, the server fetches HTTP headers from any host the attacker specifies. This is a textbook Server-Side Request Forgery condition classified as [CWE-918].
Attackers can target loopback addresses, RFC1918 ranges, or cloud instance metadata services such as 169.254.169.254. The server acts as a proxy and may return response headers, leaking information about internal infrastructure. Even when responses are not echoed, differential timing reveals which internal endpoints exist.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation on the url parameter prior to invoking get_headers. The code does not enforce a scheme allowlist, does not resolve and verify destination IP addresses, and does not block private or link-local ranges. Any HTTP-aware URL is accepted.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires only a single HTTP request to /index.php with a crafted url value pointing at an internal or sensitive endpoint. No authentication, user interaction, or special preconditions are needed. The exploit has been publicly disclosed and may already be in circulation. Refer to the HackMD Security Document and VulDB CVE-2026-10287 for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-10287
Indicators of Compromise
- Web server access logs showing requests to /index.php with url parameter values referencing internal IP ranges (10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, 192.168.0.0/16) or 127.0.0.1.
- Outbound connections from the web server to cloud metadata endpoints such as 169.254.169.254.
- Requests where the url argument uses non-HTTP schemes such as file://, gopher://, or dict://.
- Unexpected DNS lookups originating from the PHP process for attacker-controlled domains.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect HTTP query strings for the url parameter on /index.php and flag values whose resolved IP falls in private or loopback ranges.
- Correlate inbound web requests with outbound socket activity from the PHP-FPM or Apache worker process to identify SSRF-driven egress.
- Deploy WAF signatures targeting the SSRF pattern on the url parameter.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward web access logs and host process telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for correlation of inbound parameters with outbound network calls.
- Alert on any access to cloud instance metadata endpoints originating from front-end web hosts.
- Track repeated probes against /index.php with varying url values, which indicates active SSRF reconnaissance.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-10287
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict or remove public exposure of the SEO Meta Tag Extractor 1.0 deployment until remediation is applied.
- Block the /index.php endpoint at the reverse proxy or WAF if the feature is non-essential.
- Enforce egress firewall rules that deny outbound traffic from the web server to internal subnets and the 169.254.169.254 metadata address.
Patch Information
No vendor-supplied patch is referenced in the CVE record. SourceCodester resources are listed at SourceCodester Security Resources. Operators should monitor that channel and the VulDB Vulnerability #367580 entry for fix availability.
Workarounds
- Modify /index.php to validate the url parameter against an allowlist of public domains before passing it to get_headers.
- Resolve the target hostname server-side and reject any address in private, loopback, link-local, or multicast ranges.
- Restrict accepted URL schemes to http and https only, rejecting file, gopher, dict, and similar.
- Configure the host network layer to block the PHP process from initiating outbound connections to internal CIDR blocks.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
