Description
options_identities.php in SquirrelMail 1.4.4 and earlier uses the extract function to process the $_POST variable, which allows remote attackers to modify or read the preferences of other users, conduct cross-site scripting XSS) attacks, and write arbitrary files.
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 ↗Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 4 | squirrelmail | 1.4.3a-12.EL4 | RHSA-2005:595 |
| RHEL 3 | squirrelmail | 1.4.3a-11.EL3 | RHSA-2005:595 |
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 < 1.4.5-RC1 - Arbitrary Variable Overwrite EDB-43830 · webapps · Jul 14, 2015
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- DSA-756-1 squirrelmail - several Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2005:595 Red Hat Security Advisory: squirrelmail security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 14, 2026
References
- SUSE-SR:2005:018 vendor-advisory
- 14254 vdb-entry
- 20050714 [SM-ANNOUNCE] Patch available for CAN-2005-2095 mailing-list
- http://www.gulftech.org/?node=research&article_id=00090-07142005
- 20050714 SquirrelMail Arbitrary Variable Overwriting Vulnerability mailing-list
- FLSA:163047 vendor-advisory
- APPLE-SA-2005-08-15 vendor-advisory
- squirrelmail-set-post-variable(21359) vdb-entry
- RHSA-2005:595 vendor-advisory
- DSA-756 vendor-advisory
- APPLE-SA-2005-08-17 vendor-advisory
- http://www.squirrelmail.org/security/issue/2005-07-13
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10500 vdb-entry signature