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CVE-2012-3523· NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

The STARTTLS implementation in nnrpd in INN before 2.5.3 does not properly restrict I/O buffering, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers

The STARTTLS implementation in nnrpd in INN before 2.5.3 does not properly restrict I/O buffering, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to insert commands into encrypted sessions by sending a cleartext command that is processed after TLS is in place, related to a "plaintext command injection" attack, a similar issue to CVE-2011-0411.

MediumCVSS 6.8 · v2.0—No exploit Fix available
Published
Nov 11, 2012
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
3.2% · 88th percentile
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Action score

28

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
27 / 40 · 6.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 3.2%

Affected systems

VendorProduct
iscinn

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • isc innup to 2.5.2 inclusive
  • isc inn1.4
  • isc inn1.4sec
  • isc inn1.4sec2
  • isc inn1.4unoff3
  • isc inn1.4unoff4
  • isc inn1.5
  • isc inn1.5.1
  • isc inn1.7
  • isc inn1.7.2
  • isc inn2.0
  • isc inn2.1
  • isc inn2.2
  • isc inn2.2.1
  • isc inn2.2.2
  • isc inn2.2.3
  • isc inn2.4.0

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12inn2before 2.5.3-12.5.3-1

Same product

isc: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-1999-0043Command execution via shell metachars in INN daemon (innd) 1.5 using "newgroup" and "rmgroup" control messages, and others.
    52Plan
  • CVE-2002-0525Format string vulnerabilities in (1) inews or (2) rnews for INN 2.2.3 and earlier allow local users and remote malicious NNTP servers to gai
    41Plan
  • CVE-1999-0754The INN inndstart program allows local users to gain privileges by specifying an alternate configuration file using the INNCONF environmenta
    41Plan
  • CVE-1999-0100Remote access in AIX innd 1.5.1, using control messages.
    41Plan
  • CVE-2004-0045Buffer overflow in the ARTpost function in art.c in the control message handling code for INN 2.4.0 may allow remote attackers to execute ar
    33Monitor
  • CVE-1999-0706Linux xmonisdn package allows local users to gain root privileges by modifying the IFS or PATH environmental variables.
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:inn22.5.3-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

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.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

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 researchers

Finders, 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

    If successful

    Confidentiality
    P · data can be read
    Integrity
    P · data or configuration can be modified
    Availability
    P · the service can be disrupted
    Attack complexity
    M
    Confidentiality impact
    P
    Integrity impact
    P
    Availability impact
    P

    Weakness class (CWE)

    CWE-264 · Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls

    CVSS vector

    AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

    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 help

    Change log

    1. Fix✗ → ✓

    For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

    References

    Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

    All records