PHP powers much of the web. When important security fixes arrive, hosting providers get to work — including Gigahost.
This week, researchers disclosed flaws in how PHP handles memory and data between requests. In some cases, attackers could use them to access sensitive information or run code on a server. PHP has released fixes.
You may have seen headlines mentioning “70% of the web.” W3Techs reports that PHP is used by 69.3% of websites whose server-side programming language is known. That tells us how widely PHP is used. It does not mean all those websites are vulnerable.
Looking after newer and older websites
At Gigahost, we have updated our web servers with tested fixes for all PHP versions from 5.6 to 8.5. Websites using these versions now have the fixes in place. We used the official updates where available and adapted the fixes for older versions that some customers still rely on.
Bringing a fix to an older version is called a backport. It helps protect older applications while their owners plan an upgrade. These patches address the newly disclosed flaws. They do not fix every security issue in an outdated PHP version or make it officially supported again.
AI helped with discovery — and with the response
The researchers used AI to help find and investigate these longstanding flaws. We also used AI to help adapt the fixes to older PHP versions. We then reviewed the changes and tested extensions, encrypted connections, sessions, uploads and repeated requests.
AI can help uncover problems that have gone unnoticed for years — and, with careful review and testing, help bring the fixes to more websites.
We still recommend upgrading PHP
We recommend using a supported PHP version whenever your application allows it. As of 22 October 2026, PHP 8.2 to 8.5 are officially supported. Versions 8.4 and 8.5 receive regular updates. Versions 8.2 and 8.3 receive security fixes only. Security support for PHP 8.2 ends on 31 December 2026.
Keep your application and plugins updated too. Check that everything works after switching PHP versions. If you need help planning an upgrade, get in touch.