SquirrelMail 1.4.22 (and other versions before 20170427_0200-SVN) allows post-authentication remote code execution via a sendmail.cf file th
SquirrelMail 1.4.22 (and other versions before 20170427_0200-SVN) allows post-authentication remote code execution via a sendmail.cf file that is mishandled in a popen call. It's possible to exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary shell commands on the remote server. The problem is in the Deliver_SendMail.class.php with the initStream function that uses escapeshellcmd() to sanitize the sendmail command before executing it. The use of escapeshellcmd() is not correct in this case since it doesn't escape whitespaces, allowing the injection of arbitrary command parameters. The problem is in -f$envelopefrom within the sendmail command line. Hence, if the target server uses sendmail and SquirrelMail is configured to use it as a command-line program, it's possible to trick sendmail into using an attacker-provided configuration file that triggers the execution of an arbitrary command. For exploitation, the attacker must upload a sendmail.cf file as an email attachment, and inject the sendmail.cf filename with the -C option within the "Options > Personal Informations > Email Address" setting.
- Published
- Apr 20, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 32.2% · 98th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-20
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Report tools
Action score
45
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 10 / 30 · 32.2%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| squirrelmail | squirrelmail | cpe:2.3:a:squirrelmail:squirrelmail |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- squirrelmail squirrelmail1.4.22
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:7 | squirrelmail | before 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb7u1 | 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb7u1 |
| Debian:8 | squirrelmail | before 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb8u1 | 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb8u1 |
Same product
squirrelmail: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2006-2842PHP remote file inclusion vulnerability in functions/plugin.php in SquirrelMail 1.4.6 and earlier, if register_globals is enabled and magic_43Plan
- CVE-2002-0516SquirrelMail 1.2.5 and earlier allows authenticated SquirrelMail users to execute arbitrary commands by modifying the THEME variable in a co43Plan
- CVE-2004-0521SQL injection vulnerability in SquirrelMail before 1.4.3 RC1 allows remote attackers to execute unauthorized SQL statements, with unknown im41Plan
- CVE-2020-14932compose.php in SquirrelMail 1.4.22 calls unserialize for the $mailtodata value, which originates from an HTTP GET request.39Monitor
- CVE-2002-1131Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in SquirrelMail 1.2.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute script as other web users via (1) 38Monitor
- CVE-2018-8741A directory traversal flaw in SquirrelMail 1.4.22 allows an authenticated attacker to exfiltrate (or potentially delete) files from the host36Monitor
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:squirrelmail | 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb7u1 · Debian:7 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Exploit-DB entry ×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 |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2017-04-23 |
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.
- Published
- First PoC+3 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+3450 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
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-20 · Improper Input ValidationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Server Side Include (SSI) InjectionCAPEC-101likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Command Line Execution through SQL InjectionCAPEC-108likelihood: Low · Very High
- Object Relational Mapping InjectionCAPEC-109likelihood: Low · High
- SQL Injection through SOAP Parameter TamperingCAPEC-110likelihood: High · Very High
- Double EncodingCAPEC-120likelihood: Low · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or InformationT1027
- Masquerading: Invalid Code SignatureT1036.001
- Steal Web Session CookieT1539
- Subvert Trust Controls: Code SigningT1553.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
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
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/04/19/6
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/04/27/1
- www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3852
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/98067
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1038312
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201709-13
- www.exploit-db.com/exploits/41910/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.