Exim before 4.96 has an invalid free in pam_converse in auths/call_pam.c because store_free is not used after store_malloc.
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 3.3% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 88.4% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: exim4 (Debian:12) 4.95-4.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to exim4 (Debian:12) 4.95-4 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
- Published
- Aug 6, 2022
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 3.3% · 88th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-763
Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 3.3%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| exim | exim | cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
Using exim? Add it to your stack and be the first to know about CVEs like this one. (Email server)
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- exim eximbefore 4.96
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | exim4 | before 4.95-4 | 4.95-4 |
Same product
exim: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2019-10149A flaw was found in Exim versions 4.87 to 4.91 (inclusive).KEV99Now
- CVE-2018-6789An issue was discovered in the base64d function in the SMTP listener in Exim before 4.90.1.KEV94Now
- CVE-2010-4344Heap-based buffer overflow in the string_vformat function in string.c in Exim before 4.70 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code KEV91Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2021-27216May 6, 2021 · Exim 4 before 4.94.2 has Execution with Unnecessary Privileges.25Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2021-38371Aug 10, 2021 · The STARTTLS feature in Exim through 4.94.2 allows response injection (buffering) during MTA SMTP sending.31Monitor
- Later →CVE-2022-37452Aug 7, 2022 · Exim before 4.95 has a heap-based buffer overflow for the alias list in host_name_lookup in host.c when sender_host_name is set.40Plan
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:exim4 | 4.95-4 · Debian:12 | 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.
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.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-763 · Release of Invalid Pointer or ReferenceCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (8 more)Show less
- github.com/Exim/exim/commit/51be321b27825c01829dffd90f11bfff256f7e42
- github.com/Exim/exim/compare/exim-4.95...exim-4.96
- github.com/Exim/exim/wiki/EximSecurity
- lists.exim.org/lurker/message/20220625.141825.d6de6074.en.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/LETR5CVDPFOFQHXCJP6NFLG52JZHQYDY/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/XSWDF4QEXD4TDWQLYQOWCHBJKTDQR4Z7/
- www.exim.org/static/doc/security/
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/06/1
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.