Exim 4.92 through 4.92.2 allows remote code execution, a different vulnerability than…
Priority CRITICAL 100Exploited in the wildCWE-787Published · Updated
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
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-787 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Active In CISA KEV since 2022-03-03CISA due date 2022-03-17
EPSS 0.41638 98th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 2 exploit referencesTagged by NVD
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Active
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
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 · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.92 – 4.92.2 | Vulnerable | Exim |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 19.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:29:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 29 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 30 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:31:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 31 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.92 – 4.92.2 Vulnerable ·Exim
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 19.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:29:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 29 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 30 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:31:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 31 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Critical. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
Timeline
- 2022-03-03 Added to CISA KEV
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-16928
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xg2f-gj2p-r7xq
References
Exploit 2
Patch 2
Advisory 10
- https://lists.exim.org/lurker/message/20190927.032457.c1044d4c.en.html
- [oss-security] 20190928 Re: Exim CVE-2019-16928 RCE using a heap-based buffer overflow
- DSA-4536
- USN-4141-1
- [oss-security] 20190929 Re: Exim CVE-2019-16928 RCE using a heap-based buffer overflow
- 20190929 [SECURITY] [DSA 4536-1] exim4 security update
- FEDORA-2019-006dfc94cd
- FEDORA-2019-e080507ba5
- FEDORA-2019-d778bd4137
- GLSA-202003-47
More Exim vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-07471 OS command injection in exim KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2018-04965 An issue was discovered in the base64d function in the SMTP listener in Exim before… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2010-04077 Heap-based buffer overflow in the string_vformat function in string.c in Exim before 4.70… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2010-04078 Exim 4.72 and earlier allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging the ability of… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2025-19707 SQL injection in Exim CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-22483 Out-of-bounds write in Exim CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2019-16928 · CVE Program
- CVE-2019-16928 · NVD
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xg2f-gj2p-r7xq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2019-16928 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences