CVE-2023-51766: Exim: SMTP smuggling

Published Dec 24, 2023
·
Updated

Exim before 4.97.1 allows SMTP smuggling in certain PIPELINING/CHUNKING configurations. Remote attackers can use a published exploitation technique to inject e-mail messages with a spoofed MAIL FROM address, allowing bypass of an SPF protection mechanism. This occurs because Exim supports <LF>.<CR><LF> but some other popular e-mail servers do not.

Other sources

Source: exim4 Version: 4.97-2 Severity: important Tags: security upstream Forwarded: https://bugs.exim.org/showbug.cgi?id=3063 X-Debbugs-Cc: carnil, Debian Security Team <team.org>

Hi,

The following vulnerability was published for exim4.

CVE-2023-51766[0]: | Exim through 4.97 allows SMTP smuggling in certain configurations. | Remote attackers can use a published exploitation technique to | inject e-mail messages that appear to originate from the Exim | server, allowing bypass of an SPF protection mechanism. This occurs | because Exim supports <LF>.<CR><LF> but some other popular e-mail | servers do not.

If you fix the vulnerability please also make sure to include the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities & Exposures) id in your changelog entry.

For further information see:

[0] https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2023-51766 https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-51766 [1] https://bugs.exim.org/showbug.cgi?id=3063

Red Hat

Affected Software

15 affected componentsFixes available
ubuntu/exim4<4.90.1-1ubuntu1.10+
4.90.1-1ubuntu1.10+
ubuntu/exim4<4.93-13ubuntu1.10
4.93-13ubuntu1.10
ubuntu/exim4<4.95-4ubuntu2.5
4.95-4ubuntu2.5
ubuntu/exim4<4.96-17ubuntu2.2
4.96-17ubuntu2.2
ubuntu/exim4<4.97-3
4.97-3
ubuntu/exim4<4.97-3
4.97-3
ubuntu/exim4<4.86.2-2ubuntu2.6+
4.86.2-2ubuntu2.6+
Exim Exim<4.97.1
Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux=7.0
Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux=8.0
Fedoraproject Extra Packages For Enterprise Linux=9.0
Fedoraproject Fedora=38
Fedoraproject Fedora=39
Debian Debian Linux=10.0
debian/exim4
4.94.2-7+deb11u34.94.2-7+deb11u44.96-15+deb12u74.98.2-14.99-4

Event History

Dec 24, 2023
CVE Published
via MITRE·12:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·12:00 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:15 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Dec 25, 2023
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·08:01 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 29, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·12:48 PM
Description
Nov 16, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·07:26 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2023-51766?

CVE-2023-51766 is considered a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to allow remote attackers to bypass SPF mechanisms.

2

How do I fix CVE-2023-51766?

To fix CVE-2023-51766, upgrade Exim to version 4.97.1 or later.

3

Which versions of Exim are affected by CVE-2023-51766?

CVE-2023-51766 affects Exim versions prior to 4.97.1 across multiple operating systems including various Ubuntu and Debian releases.

4

Can CVE-2023-51766 allow unauthorized email sending?

Yes, CVE-2023-51766 can allow unauthorized email sending by enabling spoofed MAIL FROM addresses.

5

What mitigation measures can be taken against CVE-2023-51766?

In addition to upgrading Exim, implementing strict email validation and monitoring SMTP traffic can help mitigate CVE-2023-51766.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203