CVE-2020-7247smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary…
- 9.8CriticalCVSS base score
- 99.0%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.1% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 25 Mar 2022
- 5Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
smtp_mailaddr in smtp_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via a crafted SMTP session, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a MAIL FROM field. This affects the "uncommented" default configuration. The issue exists because of an incorrect return value upon failure of input validation.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.
- Added
- 25 Mar 2022
- Fix due (US federal)
- 15 Apr 2022
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 25 Mar 2022.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module, a Nuclei template and 3 Exploit-DB entries for it. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits5
Metasploit modules1 module
- OpenSMTPD MAIL FROM Remote Code Execution (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/unix/smtp/opensmtpd_mail_from_rceRank excellentdisclosed 28 Jan 2020
Nuclei templates1 template
- OpenSMTPD 6.4.0-6.6.1 - Remote Code Execution (Nuclei template) (opens in a new tab)
javascript/cves/2020/CVE-2020-7247.yamlSeverity critical
Exploit-DB3 entries
- OpenSMTPD 6.4.0 < 6.6.1 - Local Privilege Escalation + Remote Code Execution (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 48051remote, openbsdpublished 11 Feb 2020Verified
- OpenSMTPD - MAIL FROM Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 48038remote, linuxpublished 10 Feb 2020Verified
- OpenSMTPD 6.6.1 - Remote Code Execution (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 47984remote, linuxpublished 30 Jan 2020Verified
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By mitre
- 9 days later
· 9 days later
Published
- 2 years later
· 2 years later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited in the wild
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | Critical9.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 99.0% · top 0.1% of all CVEs (12 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Critical 9.8.
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References
References15
- https://www.openbsd.org/security.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/01/28/3 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/9dcfda045474d8903224d175907bfc29761dcb45 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156137/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-Privilege-Escalation-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 20200129 [SECURITY] [DSA 4611-1] opensmtpd security update (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQx_transferred
- DSA-4611 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156145/OpenSMTPD-6.6.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- VU#390745 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_CERT-VNx_transferred
- 20200131 LPE and RCE in OpenSMTPD (CVE-2020-7247) (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156249/OpenSMTPD-MAIL-FROM-Remote-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156295/OpenSMTPD-6.6.1-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- USN-4268-1 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUx_transferred
- FEDORA-2020-b92d7083ca (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162093/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-6.6-Remote-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-7247 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2020-28374 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2020-7247)Record last updated .