CVE-2019-16928

exim, canonical ubuntu linux, debian linux

Published 27 Sept 2019 · updated 17 Jun 2026 · Analyzed

9.8 Critical · CVSS 3.1, NVD

Exploited in the wild

CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 3 Mar 2022, with a remediation deadline of 17 Mar 2022 for US federal agencies.

Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Description

Exim 4.92 through 4.92.2 allows remote code execution, a different vulnerability than CVE-2019-15846. There is a heap-based buffer overflow in string_vformat in string.c involving a long EHLO command.

References

www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/28/1 · Exploit, Mailing List, Mitigation
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/28/2 · Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/28/3 · Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/28/4 · Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2449 · Issue Tracking, Patch, Vendor Advisory
git.exim.org/exim.git/commit/478effbfd9c3cc5a627fc671d4bf94d13670d65f · Patch
lists.exim.org/lurker/message/20190927.032457.c1044d4c.en.html · Vendor Advisory
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/EED7HM3MFIBAP5OIMJAFJ35JAJABTVSC/ · Release Notes
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/T3TJW4HPYH3O5HZCWGD6NSHTEBTTAPDC/ · Release Notes
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/UY6HPRW7MR3KBQ5JFHH6OXM7YCZBJCOB/ · Release Notes
seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Sep/60 · Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
security.gentoo.org/glsa/202003-47 · Third Party Advisory
usn.ubuntu.com/4141-1/ · Third Party Advisory
www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4536 · Third Party Advisory
www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-16928 · US Government Resource