CVE-2017-16943

critical
Published 2017-11-25 · Modified 2026-05-13
CVSS v3
9.8
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v2
7.5
VIR risk
9.8

Description

The receive_msg function in receive.c in the SMTP daemon in Exim 4.88 and 4.89 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (use-after-free) via vectors involving BDAT commands.

Predictions

Exploit likelihood
97%
Patch ETA

Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.

Mitigations

vendor Authored 2026-05-27

Vendor advisory: debian — https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2017-16943

vendor Authored 2026-05-27

Vendor advisory: cve@mitre.org — https://git.exim.org/exim.git/commitdiff/4e6ae6235c68de243b1c2419027472d7659aa2b4

vendor Authored 2026-05-27

Vendor advisory: cve@mitre.org — https://git.exim.org/exim.git/commit/4090d62a4b25782129cc1643596dc2f6e8f63bde

vendor Authored 2026-05-27

Vendor advisory: arch — https://security.archlinux.org/ASA-201711-32

OS impact

OSVersionStatusFixed in
arch archfixed4.89.1-1
debian debianbookwormfixed4.89-12
debian debianbullseyefixed4.89-12
debian debianforkyfixed4.89-12
debian debiansidfixed4.89-12
debian debiantrixiefixed4.89-12
debian debian9.0affected

Application impact

VendorProductVersionsFixed
eximexim4.88
eximexim4.89

References

CWEs

CWE-416

Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.