mailcow is vulnerable to shell command injection via xoauth2 authentication in imapsync
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
mailcow is a dockerized email package, with multiple containers linked in one bridged network. The Sync Job feature - which can be made available to standard users by assigning them the necessary permission - suffers from a shell command injection. A malicious user can abuse this vulnerability to obtain shell access to the Docker container running dovecot. The imapsync Perl script implements all the necessary functionality for this feature, including the XOAUTH2 authentication mechanism. This code path creates a shell command to call openssl. However, since different parts of the specified user password are included without any validation, one can simply execute additional shell commands. Notably, the default ACL for a newly-created mailcow account does not include the necessary permission. The Issue has been fixed within the 2023-03 Update (March 3rd 2023). As a temporary workaround the Syncjob ACL can be removed from all mailbox users, preventing from creating or changing existing Syncjobs.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA mailcow-dockerized (mailcow) Fixed in 2023-03
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-26490
References
More Mailcow vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-13182 OS Command Injection in mailcow CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-18634 mailcow-dockerized critical information misrepresentation can lead to phishing attacks through Swagger UI CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.2
- TI-2024-15818 mailcow ipixel flood attack leads to Denial of Service in admin page CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.7
- TI-2024-20015 mailcow Path Traversal and Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.2
- TI-2022-13278 mailcow before 2022-05d allows a remote authenticated user to inject OS commands and… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-16277 Mailcow Docker Container Exposure to Local Network CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences