TI-2019-08591 Aliases CVE-2019-11500 GHSA-mqm8-r3v6-8mmv

In Dovecot before 2.2.36.4 and 2.3.x before 2.3.7.2 (and Pigeonhole before 0.5.7.2)…

HIGH 77CWE-787Published 2019-08-29 · Updated 2024-08-04

Key facts

Attack vector: Network
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: Partial Red Hat: 10 fixed, 1 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-787 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

In Dovecot before 2.2.36.4 and 2.3.x before 2.3.7.2 (and Pigeonhole before 0.5.7.2), protocol processing can fail for quoted strings. This occurs because '\0' characters are mishandled, and can lead to out-of-bounds writes and remote code execution.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.62324 99th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD

Fix Partial Red Hat: 3 advisoriesRed Hat: 10 fixed, 1 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
—	—	all versions	—	No fix listed	CNA

— Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 4

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot::::::::	before 2.2.36.4; 2.3.0 to before 2.3.7.2	Vulnerable	The Dovecot Project
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:pigeonhole::::::::	before 0.5.7.2	Vulnerable	The Dovecot Project
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:::::::*	8.0	Vulnerable	Debian
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:::::::*	30	Vulnerable	Fedoraproject

cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 2.2.36.4; 2.3.0 to before 2.3.7.2 Vulnerable ·The Dovecot Project
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:pigeonhole:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.5.7.2 Vulnerable ·The Dovecot Project
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 30 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject

Remediation

Red Hat 3 advisories

RHSA-2019:2885 Released 2019-09-23 · Red Hat rating Important
dovecot security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) dovecot-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1, dovecot-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1.ppc, dovecot-mysql-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) dovecot-devel-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) dovecot-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1, dovecot-mysql-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1, dovecot-pgsql-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) dovecot-devel-1:2.0.9-22.el6_10.1
RHSA-2019:2836 Released 2019-09-20 · Red Hat rating Important
dovecot security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) dovecot-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1, dovecot-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1.ppc, dovecot-mysql-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) dovecot-devel-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) dovecot-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1, dovecot-mysql-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1, dovecot-pgsql-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) dovecot-devel-1:2.2.36-3.el7_7.1
RHSA-2019:2822 Released 2019-09-20 · Red Hat rating Important
dovecot security update
- Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) dovecot-1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1, dovecot-devel-1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8) dovecot-1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1, dovecot-mysql-1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1, dovecot-pgsql-1:2.2.36-5.el8_0.1

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Product	Status	Plan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5	Affected	No fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2822
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream (v. 8)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2822
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2885
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2836
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2885
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2836
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2885
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2836
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2885
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7)	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2836

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-11500
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mqm8-r3v6-8mmv

References

Exploit 1

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/08/28/3

Patch 1

https://dovecot.org/pipermail/dovecot-news/2019-August/000417.html

Advisory 11

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences