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Exim 4.92.3 security release

Exim 4.92.3 has been released with a fix for CVE-2019-16928, a heap-based buffer overflow in string_vformat that could lead to remote code execution. "The currently known exploit uses a extraordinary long EHLO string to crash the Exim process that is receiving the message. While at this mode of operation Exim already dropped its privileges, other paths to reach the vulnerable code may exist."


From:  Heiko Schlittermann via Exim-announce <exim-announce-AT-exim.org>
To:  oss-security-AT-lists.openwall.com, exim-users-AT-exim.org, exim-maintainers-AT-exim.org, exim-announce-AT-exim.org
Subject:  Re: [exim-announce] [oss-security] Exim CVE-2019-16928 RCE using a heap-based buffer overflow
Date:  Sun, 29 Sep 2019 01:20:24 +0200
Message-ID:  <20190928232024.GK16334@jumper.schlittermann.de>
Cc:  Heiko Schlittermann <hs-AT-nodmarc.schlittermann.de>
Archive-link:  Article

** Exim 4.92.3 released (security release) **

CVE ID:     CVE-2019-16928
Date:       2019-09-27 (CVE assigned)
Version(s): from 4.92 up to and including 4.92.2
Reporter:   QAX-A-TEAM <areuu@outlook.com>
Reference:  https://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2449
Issue:      Heap-based buffer overflow in string_vformat,
            remote code execution seems to be possible

Conditions to be vulnerable
===========================

All versions from (and including) 4.92 up to (and including) 4.92.2 are
vulnerable.

Details
=======

There is a heap-based buffer overflow in string_vformat (string.c).
The currently known exploit uses a extraordinary long EHLO string to
crash the Exim process that is receiving the message. While at this
mode of operation Exim already dropped its privileges, other paths to
reach the vulnerable code may exist.

Mitigation
==========

There is - beside updating the server - no known mitigation.

Fix
===

Download and build the fixed version 4.92.3

    Tarballs: https://ftp.exim.org/pub/exim/exim4/
    Git:      https://github.com/Exim/exim.git (mirror)
                git://git.exim.org/exim.git
              - tag    exim-4.92.3
              - branch exim-4.92.3+fixes

The tagged commit is the officially released version. The +fixes branch
isn't officially maintained, but contains the security fix *and* useful
fixes.

The tarballs, the Git tag, and the Git commits are signed with my GPG
key (same as I used to sign this mail.)

If you can't install the above versions, ask your package maintainer for
a version containing the backported fix. On request and depending on our
resources we will support you in backporting the fix.  (Please note,
the Exim project officially doesn't support versions prior the current
stable version.)

Timeline
=========

- 2019-09-27    Report as Bug 2499
- 2019-09-28    Announcement to exim-maintainers, oss-security
- 2019-09-28    Release 4.92.3, Release-Announcements to
                exim-{announce,users,maintainers}, oss-security
-- 
## List details at https://lists.exim.org/mailman/listinfo/exim-announce Exim details at
http://www.exim.org/ ##


to post comments

Exim 4.92.3 security release

Posted Sep 30, 2019 22:03 UTC (Mon) by Trelane (guest, #56877) [Link] (2 responses)

Didn't we just upgrade for a severe vulnerability this month?

Exim 4.92.3 security release

Posted Sep 30, 2019 22:36 UTC (Mon) by dfsmith (guest, #20302) [Link] (1 responses)

Be glad someone is looking at the code and releasing fixes! Also, Debian buster went from u2 to 4.92.8+deb10u3. I'm not sure if debian4.92.8 maps to exim4.92.3 (the changelog suggests 4.92.2), however 'apt-get changelog' shows the string_vformat fix.

Exim 4.92.3 security release

Posted Sep 30, 2019 22:39 UTC (Mon) by dfsmith (guest, #20302) [Link]

Before somebody points it out, the Debian version is 4.92-8+deb10u3. (Dash, not dot.)

Exim 4.92.3 security release

Posted Oct 2, 2019 22:51 UTC (Wed) by joey (guest, #328) [Link]

Previous exim EHLO vulnerabilites include one in 2003.

Exim 4.92.3 security release

Posted Oct 4, 2019 0:46 UTC (Fri) by Comet (guest, #11646) [Link]

With my Exim maintainer hat on: current development master has many fixes related to introducing a "taint" concept for sources of data, to more systematically prevent some security problems. This has triggered many cleanups and exposed some issues.

But it means that this latest problem had already been independently fixed in git master, in a different way. So the code cleanups Jeremy is doing are yielding real benefits for robustness. The 4.92.x status sucks for everyone (but the problems getting fixed is good). 4.93 should be a marked improvement though.

If anyone wants to poke at the current git master and spot issues and contribute fixes or bug reports, they'll be most welcome. Please help.

Thanks, -Phil


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