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High · 8.1 CVE-2023-42117 EUVD-2023-46576GHSA-qf54-2qx8-3vcv

Exim Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025 · Assigned by zdi

Description

Exim Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Exim. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the smtp service, which listens on TCP port 25 by default. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a memory corruption condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-17554.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Exim Exim 4.96-RC1-11-315206fbf —

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.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Debian 14 exim4 4.97~RC2-2 —
Debian 13 exim4 4.97~RC2-2 —
Debian 12 exim4 4.96-15+deb12u3 —
Debian 11 exim4 4.94.2-7+deb11u4 DLA-3938-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS exim4 4.95-4ubuntu2.4 USN-6455-1
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS exim4 4.93-13ubuntu1.9 USN-6455-1
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Pro 18.04 LTS exim4 4.90.1-1ubuntu1.10+esm2 USN-6455-1
Ubuntu Pro 16.04 LTS exim4 4.86.2-2ubuntu2.6+esm5 USN-6455-1
Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS exim4 4.82-3ubuntu2.4+esm7 USN-6455-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
SUSE Package Hub 15 SP5 exim 4.94.2-bp155.5.6.1 openSUSE-SU-2024:0007-1, openSUSE-SU-2023:0303-1
SUSE Package Hub 15 SP4 exim 4.94.2-bp154.2.9.1 openSUSE-SU-2023:0304-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
openSUSE Tumbleweed exim 4.96.2-1.1 openSUSE-SU-2024:13333-1
openSUSE Leap 15.5 exim 4.94.2-bp155.5.6.1 openSUSE-SU-2024:0007-1, openSUSE-SU-2023:0303-1
openSUSE Leap 15.4 exim 4.94.2-bp154.2.9.1 openSUSE-SU-2023:0304-1
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Alpine v3.24 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.23 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.22 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.21 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.20 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Alpine v3.19 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.18 exim 4.96.2-r0 —
Alpine v3.17 exim 4.96.2-r0 —

Wolfi

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Wolfi rolling exim 4.96.1-r0 —
Wolfi rolling libspf2 1.2.11-r1 —

Advisories 7

References