Denial of Service Vulnerability in Dovecot
Summary
CVE-2020-12100: In Dovecot before 2.3.11.3, uncontrolled recursion in submission, lmtp, and lda allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a crafted e-mail message with deeply nested MIME parts. Affects dovecot across 2 version ranges.
< 2.3.11.3-r0
< 502c39af9375c2739ce01f93afd0d01c836613fd
Fixed in 2.3.11.3-r0. How to fix ↓
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Background
Dovecot is an open-source email server software that provides IMAP and POP3 services. It is widely used for managing email accounts and facilitating email communication. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-12100 affects versions of Dovecot prior to 2.3.11.3. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) by sending a specially crafted email message with deeply nested MIME parts.
Vulnerability Detail
The CVE-2020-12100 vulnerability in Dovecot arises due to uncontrolled recursion in the submission, lmtp, and lda components. When a malicious email with deeply nested MIME parts is processed, it triggers excessive recursion, leading to resource exhaustion. This can result in a denial of service, causing the email server to become unresponsive and potentially impacting the availability of email services. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5, indicating a high severity.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.3.11.3-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade dovecotTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the official fix by upgrading to the patched version of Dovecot.
Conclusion
The CVE-2020-12100 vulnerability in Dovecot can be exploited by remote attackers to cause a denial of service. To mitigate this risk, it is crucial to upgrade to Dovecot version 2.3.11.3 or later. This will ensure the stability and security of the email server. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for dovecot →
FAQ
Dovecot is an open-source email server software that provides IMAP and POP3 services. It is commonly used for managing email accounts and facilitating email communication.
The vulnerability can be exploited by remote attackers to cause a denial of service, leading to resource exhaustion and potential unavailability of email services.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade to Dovecot version 2.3.11.3 or later, which includes the necessary patches to address the issue.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. Upgrading to the fixed version is the only solution.
The CVSS score of CVE-2020-12100 is 7.5, indicating a high severity.
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