HIGH
exim: infinite loop and stack exhaustion in receive_msg function via vectors involving BDAT commands
Published Nov 25, 2017
7.5
HIGHCVSS 3.0
EPSS 63.32%
Description
The receive_msg function in receive.c in the SMTP daemon in Exim 4.88 and 4.89 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and stack exhaustion) via vectors involving BDAT commands and an improper check for a '.' character signifying the end of the content, related to the bdat_getc function.
Affected products
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
7.5 HIGH NVD
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required None
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact High
5.0 MEDIUM NVD
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
Access Vector Network
Access Complexity Low
Authentication None
Confidentiality Impact None
Integrity Impact None
Availability Impact Partial
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
63.32% 0.63320
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
EPSS probability 0.63320
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (56 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.19th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 22, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.17th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 21, 2026 | 41.97% (0.41969) | 98.67th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.15th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 41.97% (0.41969) | 98.64th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.15th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 28, 2026 | 41.97% (0.41969) | 98.63th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 24, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.14th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 41.97% (0.41969) | 98.63th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 63.32% (0.63320) | 99.10th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| May 13, 2026 | 77.43% (0.77434) | 99.00th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 7, 2026 | 76.03% (0.76031) | 98.91th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 5, 2026 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.86th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 4, 2026 | 76.03% (0.76031) | 98.89th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 1, 2026 | 71.05% (0.71051) | 98.69th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Feb 4, 2026 | 76.03% (0.76031) | 98.88th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 70.64% (0.70638) | 98.66th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 4, 2026 | 76.03% (0.76031) | 98.87th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 70.64% (0.70638) | 98.65th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 28, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 77.18% (0.77182) | 98.93th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.58th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.58th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 28, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 27, 2025 | 77.18% (0.77182) | 98.92th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.61th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 6, 2025 | 77.18% (0.77182) | 98.93th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 1, 2025 | 72.06% (0.72061) | 98.70th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Aug 4, 2025 | 77.18% (0.77182) | 98.92th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Aug 1, 2025 | 72.06% (0.72061) | 98.69th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 30, 2025 | 77.18% (0.77182) | 98.92th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.80th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.56th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.79th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.55th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 4, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.79th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 1, 2025 | 69.37% (0.69366) | 98.54th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 74.99% (0.74993) | 98.80th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 71.88% (0.71883) | 98.32th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 75.53% (0.75527) | 98.83th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 17, 2024 | 50.61% (0.50610) | 97.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 29, 2024 | 85.06% (0.85058) | 98.43th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 8, 2023 | 87.74% (0.87736) | 98.10th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Apr 18, 2023 | 89.43% (0.89431) | 98.17th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 90.39% (0.90392) | 98.19th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 16.17% (0.16168) | 96.11th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 16.17% (0.16168) | 95.75th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 16.17% (0.16168) | 92.73th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 12.95% (0.12949) | 88.96th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 12.95% (0.12949) | 88.83th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 12.95% (0.12949) | 95.98th | v1 |
| May 5, 2021 | 12.95% (0.12949) | 0.00th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 11.80% (0.11799) | 0.00th | v1 |
Weaknesses (1)
References (13)
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/25/1 x_refsource_MISCMailing List
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/25/2 x_refsource_MISCMailing List
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/25/3 x_refsource_MISCMailing List
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/04/7 mailing-listx_refsource_MLIST
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1039873 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-16944 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2201 x_refsource_MISCExploitIssue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1517684 Issue Tracking
- https://lists.exim.org/lurker/message/20171125.034842.d1d75cac.en.html x_refsource_MISCMailing List
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16944
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16944
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-4053 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43184/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.
Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner mitre
Published Nov 25, 2017
Updated Aug 5, 2024
Reserved Nov 25, 2017
Link CVE-2017-16944
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a