Secure File Upload in PHP Web Applications

Various web applications allow users to upload files. Web forums let users upload avatars. Photo galleries let users upload pictures. Social networking web sites may allow uploading pictures, videos, etc. Blog sites allow uploading avatars and/or pictures.

Providing file upload function without opening security holes proved to be quite a challenge in PHP web applications. The applications we have tested suffered from a variety of security problems, ranging from arbitrary file disclosure to remote arbitrary code execution.

This article points out various security holes occurring in file upload implementations and suggests a way to implement a secure file upload.

Download the paper in PDF format here.