The prescan function in Sendmail 8.12.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via buffer overflow attacks, as demonstrated using
The prescan function in Sendmail 8.12.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via buffer overflow attacks, as demonstrated using the parseaddr function in parseaddr.c.
- Published
- Oct 6, 2003
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 66.2% · 99th percentile
- CWE
- —
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Report tools
Action score
60
This week
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- CVSS
- 40 / 40 · 10.0 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 20 / 30 · 66.2%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| sendmail | advanced message server | cpe:2.3:a:sendmail:advanced_message_server |
| sendmail | sendmail | cpe:2.3:a:sendmail:sendmail |
| sendmail | sendmail pro | cpe:2.3:a:sendmail:sendmail_pro |
| sendmail | sendmail switch | cpe:2.3:a:sendmail:sendmail_switch |
| sgi | irix | cpe:2.3:o:sgi:irix |
| apple | mac os x | cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x |
| apple | mac os x server | cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x_server |
| compaq | tru64 | cpe:2.3:o:compaq:tru64 |
| freebsd | freebsd | cpe:2.3:o:freebsd:freebsd |
| gentoo | linux | cpe:2.3:o:gentoo:linux |
| hp | hp-ux | cpe:2.3:o:hp:hp-ux |
| ibm | aix | cpe:2.3:o:ibm:aix |
and 6 more
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apple mac os x10.2
- apple mac os x10.2.1
- apple mac os x10.2.2
- apple mac os x10.2.3
- apple mac os x10.2.4
- apple mac os x10.2.5
- apple mac os x10.2.6
- apple mac os x server10.2
- apple mac os x server10.2.1
- apple mac os x server10.2.2
- apple mac os x server10.2.3
- apple mac os x server10.2.4
- apple mac os x server10.2.5
- apple mac os x server10.2.6
- compaq tru644.0f
- compaq tru644.0f_pk6_bl17
- compaq tru644.0f_pk7_bl18
- compaq tru644.0f_pk8_bl22
- compaq tru644.0g
- compaq tru644.0g_pk3_bl17
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | sendmail | before 8.12.10-1 | 8.12.10-1 |
| Debian:3.0 | sendmail | before 8.12.3-6.6 | 8.12.3-6.6 |
| Debian:3.0 | sendmail-wide | before 8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.5 | 8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.5 |
Same product
sendmail: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2003-0681A "potential buffer overflow in ruleset parsing" for Sendmail 8.12.9, when using the nonstandard rulesets (1) recipient (2), final, or (3) m37Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:sendmail | 8.12.10-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:sendmail-wide | 8.12.3+3.5Wbeta-5.5 · Debian:3.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | auxiliary/dos/smtp/sendmail_prescanSendmail SMTP Address prescan Memory Corruptionauxiliary | 2003-09-17 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Metasploit-19 d
- Published
- TodaySep 30, 2026+8395 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- C · data can be read
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/updates/OpenServer/SCOSA-2004.11/SCOSA-2004.11.txt
- archives.neohapsis.com/archives/fulldisclosure/2003-q3/4119.html
- archives.neohapsis.com/archives/vulnwatch/2003-q3/0113.html
- distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000742
- marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106381604923204&w=2
- marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106382859407683&w=2
- marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106383437615742&w=2
- marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=106398718909274&w=2
- www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2003-25.html
- www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-384
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/784980
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2003:092
- www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-283.html
- www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2003-284.html
- www.sendmail.org/8.12.10.html
- oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A2975
- oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A572
- oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A603
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.