Description
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in mime.php for SquirrelMail before 1.4.3 allows remote attackers to insert arbitrary HTML and script via the content-type mail header, as demonstrated using read_body.php.
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 | squirrelmail | 1:1.2.6-1.4 | DSA-535 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 3 | squirrelmail | 1.4.3-0.e3.1 | RHSA-2004:240 |
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
- SquirrelMail 1.x - Email Header HTML Injection EDB-24160 · remote · May 31, 2004 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- DSA-535 squirrelmail - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2004:240 Red Hat Security Advisory: squirrelmail security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
References
- http://www.rs-labs.com/adv/RS-Labs-Advisory-2004-1.txt
- 12289 third-party-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:1012 vdb-entry signature
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10766 vdb-entry signature
- GLSA-200406-08 vendor-advisory
- 20040530 RS-2004-1: SquirrelMail "Content-Type" XSS vulnerability mailing-list
- FEDORA-2004-160 vendor-advisory
- 11870 third-party-advisory
- DSA-535 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2004:240 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2004-1733 vendor-advisory
- 10439 vdb-entry
- CLA-2004:858 vendor-advisory
- [squirrelmail-cvs] 20040523 [SM-CVS] CVS: squirrelmail/functions mime.php,1.265.2.27,1.265.2.28 mailing-list