CVE-2020-7247
CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10Actively ExploitedEPSS 98.97%
Last modified
CVE-2020-7247 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via a crafted SMTP session, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a MAIL FROM field. This affects the "uncommented" default configuration. CISA has confirmed active exploitation in the wild. EPSS estimates a 98.97% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Description
smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via a crafted SMTP session, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a MAIL FROM field. This affects the "uncommented" default configuration. The issue exists because of an incorrect return value upon failure of input validation.
Metrics
Exploitation Status
This vulnerability is listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies must remediate by .
Weakness Enumeration
Affected Software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Openbsd | Opensmtpd | 6.6 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 9.0 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 10.0 |
| Fedoraproject | Fedora | 32 |
| Canonical | Ubuntu Linux | 18.04 |
| Canonical | Ubuntu Linux | 19.10 |
References
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156137/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-Privilege-Escalation-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156145/OpenSMTPD-6.6.2-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156249/OpenSMTPD-MAIL-FROM-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156295/OpenSMTPD-6.6.1-Local-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162093/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-6.6-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Jan/49Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/01/28/3Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OPH4QU4DNVHA7ACFXMYFCEP5PSXXPN4E/Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2020/Jan/51Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4268-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4611Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/390745Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- https://www.openbsd.org/security.htmlPatch, Vendor Advisory
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156137/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-Privilege-Escalation-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156145/OpenSMTPD-6.6.2-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156249/OpenSMTPD-MAIL-FROM-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156295/OpenSMTPD-6.6.1-Local-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162093/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-6.6-Remote-Code-Execution.htmlBroken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Jan/49Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/01/28/3Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OPH4QU4DNVHA7ACFXMYFCEP5PSXXPN4E/Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2020/Jan/51Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4268-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4611Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/390745Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- https://www.openbsd.org/security.htmlPatch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-7247US Government Resource
Timeline
- Published
- Last Modified
- Status
- Analyzed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-7247?
smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via a crafted SMTP session, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a MAIL FROM field. This affects the "uncommented" default configuration. The issue exists because of an incorrect return value upon failure of input validation.
How severe is CVE-2020-7247?
CVE-2020-7247 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 98.97% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
How do I fix CVE-2020-7247?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.
How Strix Helps
- How Strix found a critical auth bypass in etcdStrix autonomously discovered a critical authentication bypass in etcd, later designated CVE-2026-33413.
- Autonomous PentestingAI agents that find and validate exploitable vulnerabilities like this one across your applications.
- PR ReviewsPentest every pull request so vulnerable code is caught before it ships to production.
- AI Penetration TestingHow AI-driven penetration testing continuously covers your attack surface.
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