Description
Directory traversal vulnerability in nph-mr.cgi in Mailreader.com 2.3.20 through 2.3.31 allows remote attackers to view arbitrary files via .. (dot dot) sequences and a null byte (%00) in the configLanguage parameter.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 3.0 | mailreader | 2.3.29-5woody1 | DSA-534 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- MailReader.com 2.3.x - 'NPH-MR.cgi' File Disclosure EDB-21966 · webapps · Oct 28, 2002 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 1
- DSA-534 mailreader - directory traversal Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- http://mailreader.com/download/ChangeLog
- mailreader-dotdot-directory-traversal(10490) vdb-entry
- 6055 vdb-entry
- DSA-534 vendor-advisory
- 20021028 SCAN Associates Advisory : Multiple vurnerabilities on mailreader.com mailing-list