Use-After-Free Vulnerability in Exim Mail Transfer Agent

CVE-2025-30232

What is CVE-2025-30232?

CVE-2025-30232 is a vulnerability found in the Exim Mail Transfer Agent (MTA), a widely used software that facilitates the transmission of email across networks. This vulnerability manifests as a use-after-free condition in Exim versions 4.96 through 4.98.1, which could enable users with command-line access to escalate their privileges. If exploited, this could have serious repercussions for organizations relying on Exim for their email services, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information and control over server operations.

Technical Details

The vulnerability arises from improper memory management within Exim, specifically a use-after-free fault. This occurs when the program accesses memory that has already been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and possible exploitation. In this context, users with established command-line access could leverage the flaw to gain higher privileges than intended, posing significant security risks to the environment in which Exim operates.

Potential impact of CVE-2025-30232

1. Privilege Escalation: The primary risk associated with this vulnerability is the potential for privilege escalation, allowing unauthorized users to obtain higher access rights, which could lead to system compromise.

2. Unauthorized Access: By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers could gain access to sensitive data handled by the mail server, resulting in data breaches that could affect confidentiality and integrity.

3. Service Disruption: Exploitation might also lead to instability or disruption of email services, affecting the organization's communications and overall operational effectiveness.

News Articles

GBHackers News

CVE-2025-30232

Exim Use-After-Free Vulnerability Enables Privilege Escalation

A significant security threat has been uncovered in Exim, a popular open-source mail transfer agent (MTA) widely used in Linux distributions.

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