Critical PHP flaws force global website shutdowns as oil nears $110

NEW DELHI: Global cybersecurity agencies have issued urgent warnings over critical flaws in the PHP programming language, prompting widespread website shutdowns, even as Brent crude approaches $110 a barrel following a drone strike on a Saudi oilfield and major corporate restructuring unfolds,.

The US National Security Agency (NSA) and India’s CERT-In alerted organisations to severe vulnerabilities in PHP, a language powering roughly 70 per cent of websites globally. The flaws, tracked as CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, carry a critical CVSS score of 9.2 and permit remote code execution. Security firms Wiz and Calif discovered the issues, with the latter utilising OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 Sol model to identify the defects.

The vulnerabilities stem from how PHP handles memory during large HTTP requests, potentially allowing attackers to execute malicious code or crash processes. Government bodies, including the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), urged operators to take sites offline until patches are applied, leading to disconnections by entities such as the Finnish government and the Dutch House of Representatives.

Cloudflare has implemented firewall rules to protect its customers, though manual patching remains essential for server administrators,. The White House confirmed it is coordinating with federal agencies to expedite the release of fixes for American networks. In energy markets, Brent crude traded around $110.09 a barrel after a Houthi drone strike targeted a Saudi Aramco facility, reviving supply disruption fears in West Asia.

The surge in crude oil is complicating the inflation outlook, causing precious metals to slide, with COMEX gold futures falling 0.49 per cent to $4,129.60 an ounce. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee opened nearly flat at Rs 94.47 against the US dollar, maintaining stability following an eight-session winning streak.

In corporate developments, eBay announced plans to eliminate approximately 1,000 jobs, representing nine per cent of its workforce, marking its second layoff round this year. Conversely, Eternal Ltd, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, saw shares dip after its Q2 results, though brokerages like Motilal Oswal project a 35 per cent upside potential for the stock. The intersection of cyber risks and energy shocks highlights the fragile nature of current global supply chains and digital infrastructure.

As the digital infrastructure scramble continues alongside volatile energy markets, the Indian embassy in Paris has issued safety advisories for nationals amid ongoing violent protests in France. Additionally, highlighting cultural ties, the US Postal Service unveiled a new Diwali postage stamp featuring a rangoli design by Houston-based artist Sangita Bhutada.