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Exim 4.72 and earlier allows local users to escalate privileges by exploiting the ability of the 'exim' user to specify an alternate configuration file. By crafting a configuration file with directives such as 'spool_directory' containing arbitrary shell commands, an attacker with access as the 'exim' user can execute commands as root, leading to full system compromise.
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1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos.
This repository contains a single Metasploit module targeting Exim mail servers prior to version 4.69. The exploit leverages a heap buffer overflow in the 'string_vformat' function, triggered via specially crafted SMTP messages. The module connects to the target's SMTP service, sends a large message to fill the buffer, and then injects a malicious header to overwrite the ACL for the 'MAIL FROM' command. This allows arbitrary shell command execution as the Exim user. If the target system has Perl installed, the module attempts to escalate privileges to root by exploiting a secondary vulnerability (CVE-2010-4345), creating temporary files in /var/tmp and executing a Perl script as root. The module is fully weaponized, supporting customizable command payloads, and is part of the Metasploit framework. The only file present is a Ruby script implementing the exploit logic, with options for configuring email addresses, EHLO name, and advanced options for source address and privilege escalation.
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Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.
1 sources tracked across advisories and community write-ups. News coverage will land here when it surfaces.
No news coverage yet. Advisories and community discussion only.
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Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.
Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.
YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.
Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.
Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.