# PHP security update fixes critical flaws

> PHP emergency patches address two severe vulnerabilities that could let hackers control servers remotely.
- Title: PHP security update fixes critical flaws · Mashable | Shortify
- Summary: PHP emergency patches address two severe vulnerabilities that could let hackers control servers remotely. PHP security updates fix critical flaws that allow…
- Keywords: php, php vulnerability, php security update, remote code execution, php 5, php 8, ncsc, watchtowr, technology, culture, security, update
- Source: Mashable — https://mashable.com/tech/php-vulnerability-security-update-explained
- Author: Chance Townsend
- Published: 2026-10-21T16:16:20+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: php, php vulnerability, php security update, remote code execution, php 5, php 8, ncsc, watchtowr, technology, culture
## PHP security update
The team behind PHP released emergency security updates on Wednesday to fix two critical vulnerabilities.
## Critical vulnerabilities
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre urges organizations to install the fix immediately.
## What is PHP
PHP is a programming language that runs on web servers, powering websites including content management systems.
## Remote code execution
Attackers could run commands on PHP servers without logging in, allowing full server control through memory corruption.
## Wikipedia outage
Wikipedia went down Wednesday due to PHP vulnerabilities affecting all known versions of the programming language.
## Key takeaway

PHP security updates fix critical flaws that allow remote code execution on servers, affecting all versions from 5 to 8.