Description
A command execution issue was found in Apache SpamAssassin prior to 3.4.3. Carefully crafted nefarious rule configuration (.cf) files can be configured to run system commands similar to CVE-2018-11805. With this bug unpatched, exploits can be injected in a number of scenarios including the same privileges as spamd is run which may be elevated though doing so remotely is difficult. In addition to upgrading to SA 3.4.4, we again recommend that users should only use update channels or 3rd party .cf files from trusted places. If you cannot upgrade, do not use 3rd party rulesets, do not use sa-compile and do not run spamd as an account with elevated privileges.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation | Apache SpamAssassin | prior to 3.4.3 | — |
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 | spamassassin | 3.4.4~rc1-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | spamassassin | 3.4.4~rc1-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | spamassassin | 3.4.4~rc1-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-1+deb10u2 | DSA-4615-1 |
| Debian 9 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-1~deb9u3 | DSA-4615-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-0+deb8u3 | DLA-2107-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | spamassassin | 3.4.2-0ubuntu0.18.04.3 | USN-4265-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | spamassassin | 3.4.2-0ubuntu0.16.04.3 | USN-4265-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS | spamassassin | 3.4.2-0ubuntu0.14.04.1+esm2 | USN-4265-2 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-10.el8 | RHSA-2020:4625 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-12.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0811-1 |
| SLES 15 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-7.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0813-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
Show 14 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP2 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-7.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0813-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-7.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0813-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SUSE HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-44.8.1 | SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | spamassassin | 3.4.6-71.3 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11395-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-lp151.8.3.1 | openSUSE-SU-2020:0446-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
Show 10 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | spamassassin | 3.4.4-r0 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | spamassassin | 3.4.2-10.el8 | ELSA-2020-4625 |
Advisories 11
- RHSA-2020:4625 Red Hat Security Advisory: spamassassin security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 27, 2026
- DSA-4615-1 spamassassin - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-2107-1 spamassassin - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-4265-1 spamassassin vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-4265-2 spamassassin vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:0810-1 Security update for spamassassin SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:0811-1 Security update for spamassassin SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2020:0446-1 Security update for spamassassin SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2020:0813-1 Security update for spamassassin SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11395-1 perl-Mail-SpamAssassin-3.4.6-71.3 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2020-4625 Moderate: spamassassin security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Nov 10, 2020
References
- https://bz.apache.org/SpamAssassin/show_bug.cgi?id=7648
- [announce] 20200130 [CVE-2020-1930] Apache SpamAssassin Nefarious rule configuration (.cf) files can be configured to run system commands mailing-list
- DSA-4615 vendor-advisory
- 20200203 [SECURITY] [DSA 4615-1] spamassassin security update mailing-list
- USN-4265-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-4265-2 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2020-24dac7d890 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2020-bd20036cdc vendor-advisory
- [debian-lts-announce] 20200218 [SECURITY] [DLA 2107-1] spamassassin security update mailing-list
- openSUSE-SU-2020:0446 vendor-advisory