Skip to main content

CVE-2024-23185 - Dovecot Message Header Buffer Overload Vulnerability

CVE ID : CVE-2024-23185
Published : Sept. 10, 2024, 3:15 p.m. | 17 minutes ago
Description : Very large headers can cause resource exhaustion when parsing message. The message-parser normally reads reasonably sized chunks of the message. However, when it feeds them to message-header-parser, it starts building up "full_value" buffer out of the smaller chunks. The full_value buffer has no size limit, so large headers can cause large memory usage. It doesn't matter whether it's a single long header line, or a single header split into multiple lines. This bug exists in all Dovecot versions. Incoming mails typically have some size limits set by MTA, so even largest possible header size may still fit into Dovecot's vsz_limit. So attackers probably can't DoS a victim user this way. A user could APPEND larger mails though, allowing them to DoS themselves (although maybe cause some memory issues for the backend in general). One can implement restrictions on headers on MTA component preceding Dovecot. No publicly available exploits are known.
Severity: 7.5 | HIGH
Visit the link for more details, such as CVSS details, affected products, timeline, and more...

About

Kenya Education Network CERT(KENET-CERT) is a Cybersecurity Emergency Response Team and Co-ordination Center operated by the National Research and Education Network of Kenya. KENET-CERT coordination center promotes awareness on cybersecurity incidences as well as coordinates and assists member institutions in responding effectively to cyber security threats and incidences. KENET-CERT works closely with Kenya's National CIRT coordination center (CIRT/CC) as a sector CIRT for the academic institutions. KENET promotes use of ICT in Teaching, Learning and Research in Higher Education Institutions in Kenya. KENET aims to interconnect all the Universities, Tertiary and Research Institutions in Kenya by setting up a cost effective and sustainable private network with high speed access to the global Internet. KENET also facilitates electronic communication among students and faculties in member institutions, share learning and teaching resources by collaboration in Research and Development of Educational content.