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Invalid Content-Type parameter hides multipart boundary in MIME-tools

Priority LOW 29CWE-436Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · Low · None
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

MIME-tools for Perl versions before 5.521 stop parsing Content-Type parameters at the first parameter whose name cannot be read, such as one containing an 8-bit byte, and drop every parameter after it (CWE-436). A remote sender can use this to hide the multipart boundary, so MIME::Parser keeps the body as one undecoded part without marking the parse as ambiguous. Filters that rely on ambiguous_content() can then miss an attachment that the recipient's mail client still shows.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

Description from the CNA

MIME::Field::ParamVal versions before 5.521 for Perl allow one invalid Content-Type parameter to hide the parameters after it, including the multipart boundary. Parameter parsing stops at the first parameter whose name it cannot read, such as x:y=1 or a name containing an 8-bit byte, and drops every parameter after it. When the boundary is among them, MIME::Parser keeps the multipart body as a single undecoded part without marking the parse as ambiguous. Mail readers that skip the invalid parameter still find the boundary. A remote sender can hide an attachment from a filter that relies on ambiguous_content() while the recipient's mail client shows it.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00206 10th percentileScored 2026-11-08
Fix Partial MIME-tools: 5.521Red Hat: 1 without a fix

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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
—MIME-toolsbefore 5.5215.521Patch availableCNA
  • MIME-tools Vendor— Affected before 5.521 Fixed in 5.521 Patch available CNA

Remediation

Update MIME-tools to version 5.521 or later. Red Hat plans no fix for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-05

  • Fix · CNA MIME-tools Fixed in 5.521

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-28 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-116264
  2. 2026-10-28 Alias added: GHSA-8mr9-wfcj-h3rm
  3. 2026-10-30 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-30 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  5. 2026-11-05 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
  6. 2026-11-05 CISA SSVC decision points changed

References

Sources