Directory traversal vulnerability in GNU Mailman before 2.1.20, when not using a static alias, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary
Directory traversal vulnerability in GNU Mailman before 2.1.20, when not using a static alias, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) in a list name.
- Published
- Apr 13, 2015
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 7.9% · 95th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-22
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Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 7.9%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| gnu | mailman | cpe:2.3:a:gnu:mailman |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| redhat | enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux12.04
- canonical ubuntu linux14.04
- canonical ubuntu linux14.10
- debian debian linux7.0
- gnu mailmanup to 2.1.19 inclusive
- redhat enterprise linux7.0
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:6.0 | mailman | before 1:2.1.13-6 | 1:2.1.13-6 |
| Debian:7 | mailman | before 1:2.1.15-1+deb7u1 | 1:2.1.15-1+deb7u1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | mailman | before 2.1.23-1.2 | 2.1.23-1.2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | mailman | before 3:2.1.12-25.el6 | 3:2.1.12-25.el6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | mailman-debuginfo | before 3:2.1.12-25.el6 | 3:2.1.12-25.el6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | mailman | before 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 | 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | mailman-debuginfo | before 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 | 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | mailman | before 3:2.1.15-21.el7_1 | 3:2.1.15-21.el7_1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | mailman-debuginfo | before 3:2.1.15-21.el7_1 | 3:2.1.15-21.el7_1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | mailman | before 2.1.15-9.6.6.1 | 2.1.15-9.6.6.1 |
| SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7 | mailman | before 2.1.17-3.3.3 | 2.1.17-3.3.3 |
Same product
gnu: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2021-44227In GNU Mailman before 2.1.38, a list member or moderator can get a CSRF token and craft an admin request (using that token) to set a new adm35Monitor
- CVE-2016-7123Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the admin web interface in GNU Mailman before 2.1.15 allows remote attackers to hijack th35Monitor
- CVE-2016-6893Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the user options page in GNU Mailman 2.1.x before 2.1.23 allows remote attackers to hijac35Monitor
- CVE-2025-43920GNU Mailman 2.1.39, as bundled in cPanel (and WHM), in certain external archiver configurations, allows unauthenticated attackers to execute32Monitor
- CVE-2021-42097GNU Mailman before 2.1.35 may allow remote Privilege Escalation.32Monitor
- CVE-2005-4153Mailman 2.1.4 through 2.1.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a message that causes the server to "fail with an Overf32Monitor
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:mailman | 1:2.1.13-6 · Debian:6.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:mailman | 2.1.23-1.2 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:mailman | 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:mailman-debuginfo | 3:2.1.15-21.ael7b_1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:mailman | 2.1.17-3.3.3 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7 | Package 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.
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
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
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
- High
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')CVSS vector
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Root cause
A user-supplied file name is joined with the allowed directory, but the result is never checked to confirm it is still inside that directory.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-22 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
const file = path.join(ROOT, req.query.name);res.sendFile(file);Fixed
const file = path.resolve(ROOT, req.query.name);if (!file.startsWith(ROOT + path.sep)) { return res.sendStatus(400);}res.sendFile(file);Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Path TraversalCAPEC-126likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-64likelihood: High · High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-78likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-79likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
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✗ → ✓
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References
- lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-April/154911.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-April/156742.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1153.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1417.html
- www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3214
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/73922
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1032033
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2558-1
- bugs.launchpad.net/mailman/+bug/1437145
- mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-announce/2015-March/000209.html
- mail.python.org/pipermail/mailman-developers/2015-March/024871.html
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.