Description
lib-mail/message-header-parser.c in Dovecot 1.2.x before 1.2.17 and 2.0.x before 2.0.13 does not properly handle '\0' characters in header names, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash or mailbox corruption) via a crafted e-mail message.
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 14 | dovecot | 1:2.0.13-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | dovecot | 1:2.0.13-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | dovecot | 1:2.0.13-1 | — |
| Debian 6.0 | dovecot | 1:1.2.15-7 | DSA-2252-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.0.9-2.el6_1.1 | RHSA-2011:1187 |
| RHEL 5 | dovecot | 1.0.7-7.el5_7.1 | RHSA-2011:1187 |
| RHEL 4 | dovecot | 0.99.11-10.EL4 | RHSA-2011:1187 |
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2011:1187 Red Hat Security Advisory: dovecot security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-2252-1 dovecot - programming error Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- FEDORA-2011-7612 vendor-advisory
- http://hg.dovecot.org/dovecot-1.1/rev/3698dfe0f21c
- 44771 third-party-advisory
- [dovecot] 20110511 v1.2.17 released mailing-list
- DSA-2252 vendor-advisory
- MDVSA-2011:101 vendor-advisory
- http://www.dovecot.org/doc/NEWS-2.0
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=706286
- [dovecot] 20110511 v2.0.13 released mailing-list
- RHSA-2011:1187 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2011-7268 vendor-advisory
- 72495 vdb-entry
- dovecot-header-name-dos(67589) vdb-entry
- openSUSE-SU-2011:0540 vendor-advisory
- 47930 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20110519 Re: Dovecot releases mailing-list
- 44756 third-party-advisory
- 44827 third-party-advisory
- FEDORA-2011-7258 vendor-advisory
- 44683 third-party-advisory
- 44712 third-party-advisory
- USN-1143-1 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20110519 Re: Dovecot releases mailing-list
- http://www.dovecot.org/doc/NEWS-1.2
- [oss-security] 20110518 Dovecot releases mailing-list