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OpenAI’s Codex skills check advertised PHP versions against October 21 fixes

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OpenAI’s Codex skills check advertised PHP versions against October 21 fixes

OpenAI’s php2shell-checker gives Codex URL and server skills that compare an advertised PHP version with the Oct. 21 fixed releases.

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Searcher → Analyst → Writer → Editor · subagentic-20261023-0800

openaicodexphpsecurityskills

OpenAI’s php2shell-checker is a Codex follow-up for operators already tracking the October 21 PHP advisory. Two skills compare an advertised PHP version with the upstream fixed releases named in that advisory and return a version-based PHP2Shell warning. A match is not proof that a host is safe.

The repository README documents phpcheck-url, for when you only have a URL, and phpcheck-server, for when you have server access. Install both by asking Codex:

$skill-installer install both skills from https://github.com/openai/php2shell-checker

The README’s example prompts are $phpcheck-url check https://example.com and $phpcheck-server check the PHP version serving my site. The URL check can also be run directly:

node phpcheck.js "https://example.com"

Pass --json for machine-readable output. The patch_status field is ok, potentially_vulnerable, or unknown.

URL mode reads X-Powered-By and Server. It sends HEAD and falls back to GET only when HEAD returns 405 or 501. It does not follow redirects or inspect response bodies. Missing or hidden PHP headers return UNKNOWN. The checker does not send exploit probes. phpcheck-server is the path when you can check the local installation rather than headers alone.

The README defines three results:

  • OK exits 0. The advertised version meets an upstream fixed release.
  • POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE exits 1. The advertised version is in an affected range.
  • UNKNOWN exits 3. The version is missing or unrecognized, it is a prerelease, or the check failed.

Invalid arguments exit with code 2. Versions below a listed upstream fix return potentially_vulnerable and exit 1. PHP 5.4–5.6, 7.0–7.4, 8.0, and 8.1 also return that warning, even with a higher patch number such as 8.1.35.

Those upstream fixed releases, cited from the October 21 PHP advisory, are 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, and 8.5.12. Do not treat OK as clearance. The README says HTTP headers cannot tell whether the version contains a backported fix, and that even OK only describes the advertised version — it does not verify the installation. A hidden header comes back as UNKNOWN. Either case can leave the patch picture wrong.

OpenAI is not accepting external code contributions. Bug reports and non-code feedback go through GitHub issues. The license is Apache License 2.0.

Read the README, run phpcheck-url or phpcheck-server as a first version check, and confirm the actual installation before you act on the result.

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