Description
An issue was discovered in Dovecot before 2.3.13. By using IMAP IDLE, an authenticated attacker can trigger unhibernation via attacker-controlled parameters, leading to access to other users' email messages (and path disclosure).
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 | 1:2.3.13+dfsg1-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | dovecot | 1:2.3.13+dfsg1-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | dovecot | 1:2.3.13+dfsg1-1 | — |
| Debian 10 | dovecot | 1:2.3.4.1-5+deb10u5 | DSA-4825-1 |
| Debian 9 | dovecot | 1:2.2.27-3+deb9u7 | DLA-2517-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.3.7.2-1ubuntu3.3 | USN-4674-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.2.33.2-1ubuntu4.7 | USN-4674-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | dovecot | 1:2.2.22-1ubuntu2.14 | USN-4674-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.3.8-9.el8 | RHSA-2021:1887 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 8 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.3.8-9.el8 | ALSA-2021:1887 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP2 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-17.5.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0028-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-21.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0027-1 |
| SLES 15 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-4.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0029-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
Show 15 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP3 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-4.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0029-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-4.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0029-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 | dovecot22 | 2.2.31-19.25.1 | SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 |
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 15.2 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-lp152.2.6.1 | openSUSE-SU-2021:0026-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.1 | dovecot23 | 2.3.11.3-lp151.2.15.1 | openSUSE-SU-2021:0072-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
Show 10 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | dovecot | 2.3.13-r0 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | dovecot +4 | 1:2.3.8-9.el8 | ELSA-2021-1887 |
Advisories 15
- ALSA-2021:1887 Moderate: dovecot security and bug fix update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- RHSA-2021:1887 Red Hat Security Advisory: dovecot security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-4674-1 dovecot vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4825-1 dovecot - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-2517-1 dovecot - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:0027-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:0028-1 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
- SUSE-SU-2021:0018-1 Security update for dovecot22 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2021:0029-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2021:0026-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2021:0072-1 Security update for dovecot23 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10726-1 dovecot23-2.3.16-1.6 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 7, 2025
- WID-SEC-2025-0234 Dovecot: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Feb 2, 2025
- ELSA-2021-1887 Moderate: dovecot security and bug fix update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · May 25, 2021
References
- https://dovecot.org/security
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/04/4
- https://dovecot.org/pipermail/dovecot-news/2021-January/000450.html
- https://doc.dovecot.org/configuration_manual/hibernation/
- DSA-4825 vendor-advisory
- 20210106 CVE-2020-24386: IMAP hibernation allows accessing other peoples mail mailing-list
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/160842/Dovecot-2.3.11.3-Access-Bypass.html
- GLSA-202101-01 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2021-c90cb486f7 vendor-advisory