---
title: "WEB-PHP-002 PHP Version Exposed in Headers"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-PHP-002.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/WEB-PHP-002.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# WEB-PHP-002 PHP Version Exposed in Headers

Checks whether PHP adds an X-Powered-By header with its version.

- Domain: Web Apps
- Severity: Low
- Control category: Information Exposure
- Fix effort: low
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 16.7
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-497
- OWASP Top 10 2021: A05:2021
- OWASP ASVS 4.0.3: 14.3.3
- OWASP WSTG v4.2: WSTG-INFO-02
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: CM-7, SI-11

## Why It Matters

The header advertises the exact PHP version to every visitor and scanner.

## How It Detects

Asks the PHP command-line binary for ini_get('expose_php') (the only PHP code OpenVAPT may run). Web PHP-FPM pools can use a different php.ini; verify those too.

## How to Fix

In php.ini set  expose_php = Off  and restart PHP.

## How to Verify

```
php -r "echo ini_get('expose_php');"  and check the FPM pool's php.ini or php_admin_value settings.
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P6 Information Exposure and Misconfiguration](https://openvapt.com/academy/p6.md)

## References

- [PHP manual, php.ini directives](https://www.php.net/manual/en/ini.list.php)
- [OWASP PHP Configuration Cheat Sheet](https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/PHP_Configuration_Cheat_Sheet.html)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/web/php.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only WEB-PHP-002`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain WEB-PHP-002`.

---

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