Description
In Dovecot before 2.2.36.4 and 2.3.x before 2.3.7.2 (and Pigeonhole before 0.5.7.2), protocol processing can fail for quoted strings. This occurs because '\0' characters are mishandled, and can lead to out-of-bounds writes and remote code execution.
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 | 1:2.3.7.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | dovecot | 1:2.3.7.2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | dovecot | 1:2.3.7.2-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | dovecot | 1:2.3.4.1-5+deb10u1 | DSA-4510-1 |
| Debian 9 | dovecot | 1:2.2.27-3+deb9u5 | DSA-4510-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 8 | dovecot | 1:2.2.13-12~deb8u7 | DLA-1901-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.2.33.2-1ubuntu4.4 | USN-4110-3, USN-4110-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.2.22-1ubuntu2.11 | USN-4110-3, USN-4110-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.2.9-1ubuntu2.6+esm1 | USN-4110-4, USN-4110-2 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | dovecot +3 | 1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1 | RHSA-2019:2822 |
| RHEL 7 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1 | RHSA-2019:2836 |
| RHEL 6 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1 | RHSA-2019:2885 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | dovecot23 | 2.3.3-8.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2514-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
Show 12 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP1 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 4 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.17.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | dovecot23 | 2.3.16-1.6 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10726-1 |
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | dovecot24 | 2.4.0-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2025:14715-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | dovecot23 | 2.3.3-lp151.2.6.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:2281-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.0 | dovecot23 | 2.3.3-lp150.14.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:2278-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
Show 13 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | dovecot | 2.3.7.2-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.7 | dovecot | 2.2.36.4-r0 | — |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.2.36-3.amzn2.1 | ALAS2-2019-1347 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | dovecot +3 | 1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1 | ELSA-2019-2822 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1 | ELSA-2019-2836 |
Advisories 19
- RHSA-2019:2885 Red Hat Security Advisory: dovecot security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2019:2836 Red Hat Security Advisory: dovecot security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2019:2822 Red Hat Security Advisory: dovecot security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-4110-3 Dovecot regression Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- USN-4110-1 dovecot vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- USN-4110-2 dovecot vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- USN-4110-4 dovecot regression Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4510-1 dovecot - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-1901-1 dovecot - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2019:2454-1 Security update for dovecot22 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2019:2278-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2019:2281-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2019:2514-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2025:14715-1 dovecot24-2.4.0-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10726-1 dovecot23-2.3.16-1.6 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- WID-SEC-2025-0239 Dovecot: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Ausführen von beliebigem Programmcode mit den Rechten des Dienstes BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Feb 2, 2025
- ALAS2-2019-1347 Important: dovecot security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Nov 7, 2019
- ELSA-2019-2822 Important: dovecot security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Sep 23, 2019
- ELSA-2019-2836 Important: dovecot security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Sep 20, 2019
References
- https://www.dovecot.org/security.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/08/28/3
- https://dovecot.org/pipermail/dovecot-news/2019-August/000417.html
- [debian-lts-announce] 20190829 [SECURITY] [DLA 1901-1] dovecot security update mailing-list
- FEDORA-2019-3844281be1 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-201908-29 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-59d60bd1fa vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-ea638fb605 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2019:2822 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2019:2836 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2019:2885 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2019:2281 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2019:2278 vendor-advisory