Several popular Pokémon applications, including Pokémon Home, Pokémon Champions, and Pokémon Sleep, have been taken offline by The Pokémon Company in response to newly discovered critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language. This proactive measure follows similar actions by governments and major online platforms that have temporarily shut down their websites and services to mitigate potential cyber attacks.
The widespread security flaw affects PHP versions dating back to 2004, allowing malicious actors to execute commands on web servers. Cybersecurity agencies worldwide have urged organizations to take systems offline until patches can be fully implemented. Websites such as DeviantArt and Ars Technica also experienced temporary inaccessibility as they prepared for updates.
Users attempting to access Pokémon Home currently encounter a Japanese error message translating to "We are currently under maintenance. Please wait a moment until maintenance is finished." Pokémon Champions displays a similar message, stating, "Emergency maintenance is currently ongoing." Details regarding the duration of these service interruptions have not yet been provided.
The PHP vulnerability is considered extremely serious, enabling remote code execution and the potential deployment of malware on affected servers. While fixes for the exploits are now available, the complexity of updating all affected levels of software and third-party applications means many internet services remain at risk. The National Cyber Security Centre in the UK has advised that if temporary mitigations are not feasible or too time-consuming, taking the system offline is the recommended course of action until a full mitigation can be applied.