CVE-2008-3962 (GCVE-0-2008-3962)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2008-09-10 15:00 – Updated: 2024-08-07 10:00
VLAI
Summary
The from_format function in ssmtp.c in ssmtp 2.61 and 2.62, in certain configurations, uses uninitialized memory for the From: field of an e-mail message, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (memory contents) in opportunistic circumstances by reading a message.
Severity
No CVSS data available.
CWE
  • n/a
Assigner
mitre CNA under the mitre root
CNA scorecard E 29/100 over 2166 records in the last 180 days details
References
Date Public
2008-09-09 00:00
Show details on NVD website

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-07T10:00:42.265Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
          "shortName": "CVE"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "name": "ADV-2008-2597",
            "tags": [
              "vdb-entry",
              "x_refsource_VUPEN",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2597"
          },
          {
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_CONFIRM",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391"
          },
          {
            "name": "ssmtp-fromformat-information-disclosure(45038)",
            "tags": [
              "vdb-entry",
              "x_refsource_XF",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45038"
          },
          {
            "name": "[oss-security] 20080911 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
            "tags": [
              "mailing-list",
              "x_refsource_MLIST",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/2"
          },
          {
            "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
            "tags": [
              "mailing-list",
              "x_refsource_MLIST",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/6"
          },
          {
            "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
            "tags": [
              "mailing-list",
              "x_refsource_MLIST",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/5"
          },
          {
            "name": "31094",
            "tags": [
              "vdb-entry",
              "x_refsource_BID",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31094"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "n/a",
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "datePublic": "2008-09-09T00:00:00.000Z",
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "The from_format function in ssmtp.c in ssmtp 2.61 and 2.62, in certain configurations, uses uninitialized memory for the From: field of an e-mail message, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (memory contents) in opportunistic circumstances by reading a message."
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "description": "n/a",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2017-08-07T12:57:01.000Z",
        "orgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca",
        "shortName": "mitre"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "ADV-2008-2597",
          "tags": [
            "vdb-entry",
            "x_refsource_VUPEN"
          ],
          "url": "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2597"
        },
        {
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391"
        },
        {
          "name": "ssmtp-fromformat-information-disclosure(45038)",
          "tags": [
            "vdb-entry",
            "x_refsource_XF"
          ],
          "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45038"
        },
        {
          "name": "[oss-security] 20080911 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
          "tags": [
            "mailing-list",
            "x_refsource_MLIST"
          ],
          "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/2"
        },
        {
          "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
          "tags": [
            "mailing-list",
            "x_refsource_MLIST"
          ],
          "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/6"
        },
        {
          "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
          "tags": [
            "mailing-list",
            "x_refsource_MLIST"
          ],
          "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/5"
        },
        {
          "name": "31094",
          "tags": [
            "vdb-entry",
            "x_refsource_BID"
          ],
          "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31094"
        }
      ],
      "x_legacyV4Record": {
        "CVE_data_meta": {
          "ASSIGNER": "cve@mitre.org",
          "ID": "CVE-2008-3962",
          "STATE": "PUBLIC"
        },
        "affects": {
          "vendor": {
            "vendor_data": [
              {
                "product": {
                  "product_data": [
                    {
                      "product_name": "n/a",
                      "version": {
                        "version_data": [
                          {
                            "version_value": "n/a"
                          }
                        ]
                      }
                    }
                  ]
                },
                "vendor_name": "n/a"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "data_format": "MITRE",
        "data_type": "CVE",
        "data_version": "4.0",
        "description": {
          "description_data": [
            {
              "lang": "eng",
              "value": "The from_format function in ssmtp.c in ssmtp 2.61 and 2.62, in certain configurations, uses uninitialized memory for the From: field of an e-mail message, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (memory contents) in opportunistic circumstances by reading a message."
            }
          ]
        },
        "problemtype": {
          "problemtype_data": [
            {
              "description": [
                {
                  "lang": "eng",
                  "value": "n/a"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "references": {
          "reference_data": [
            {
              "name": "ADV-2008-2597",
              "refsource": "VUPEN",
              "url": "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2597"
            },
            {
              "name": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391",
              "refsource": "CONFIRM",
              "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391"
            },
            {
              "name": "ssmtp-fromformat-information-disclosure(45038)",
              "refsource": "XF",
              "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45038"
            },
            {
              "name": "[oss-security] 20080911 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
              "refsource": "MLIST",
              "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/2"
            },
            {
              "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 Re: ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
              "refsource": "MLIST",
              "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/6"
            },
            {
              "name": "[oss-security] 20080909 ssmtp =2.62 unitialized memory disclosure",
              "refsource": "MLIST",
              "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/5"
            },
            {
              "name": "31094",
              "refsource": "BID",
              "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31094"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca",
    "assignerShortName": "mitre",
    "cveId": "CVE-2008-3962",
    "datePublished": "2008-09-10T15:00:00.000Z",
    "dateReserved": "2008-09-09T00:00:00.000Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2024-08-07T10:00:42.265Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1",
  "vulnerability-lookup:meta": {
    "epss": {
      "cve": "CVE-2008-3962",
      "date": "2026-11-09",
      "epss": "0.01985",
      "percentile": "0.80736"
    },
    "nvd": {
      "cve": {
        "configurations": [
          {
            "nodes": [
              {
                "cpeMatch": [
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:ssmtp:ssmtp:2.61:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "E340EC83-0A43-4D94-A938-5D54C0589601",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  },
                  {
                    "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:ssmtp:ssmtp:2.62:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                    "matchCriteriaId": "19A13D99-C357-4F06-BA4D-A25EF8C0C51B",
                    "vulnerable": true
                  }
                ],
                "negate": false,
                "operator": "OR"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "cveTags": [],
        "descriptions": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "value": "The from_format function in ssmtp.c in ssmtp 2.61 and 2.62, in certain configurations, uses uninitialized memory for the From: field of an e-mail message, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (memory contents) in opportunistic circumstances by reading a message."
          },
          {
            "lang": "es",
            "value": "La funci\u00f3n from_format en el archivo ssmtp.c en ssmtp versiones 2.61 y 2.62, en determinadas configuraciones, utiliza memoria no inicializada para el campo From: de un mensaje de correo electr\u00f3nico, lo que podr\u00eda permitir a los atacantes remotos obtener informaci\u00f3n confidencial (contenido de memoria) en circunstancias oportunistas mediante la lectura de un mensaje."
          }
        ],
        "id": "CVE-2008-3962",
        "lastModified": "2026-04-23T00:35:47.467",
        "metrics": {
          "cvssMetricV2": [
            {
              "acInsufInfo": false,
              "baseSeverity": "LOW",
              "cvssData": {
                "accessComplexity": "HIGH",
                "accessVector": "NETWORK",
                "authentication": "NONE",
                "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
                "baseScore": 2.6,
                "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL",
                "integrityImpact": "NONE",
                "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N",
                "version": "2.0"
              },
              "exploitabilityScore": 4.9,
              "impactScore": 2.9,
              "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
              "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
              "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
              "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
              "type": "Primary",
              "userInteractionRequired": false
            }
          ]
        },
        "published": "2008-09-11T01:13:47.587",
        "references": [
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/5"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/6"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/2"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31094"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "tags": [
              "Vendor Advisory"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2597"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391"
          },
          {
            "source": "cve@mitre.org",
            "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45038"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/5"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/09/6"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/2"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31094"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "tags": [
              "Vendor Advisory"
            ],
            "url": "http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2597"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/234391"
          },
          {
            "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
            "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/45038"
          }
        ],
        "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org",
        "vulnStatus": "Modified",
        "weaknesses": [
          {
            "description": [
              {
                "lang": "en",
                "value": "CWE-200"
              }
            ],
            "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
            "type": "Primary"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "redhat_vex": {
      "current_release_date": "2025-11-21T13:15:01+00:00",
      "cve": "CVE-2008-3962",
      "id": "CVE-2008-3962",
      "initial_release_date": "2008-01-01T00:00:00+00:00",
      "product_status:known_not_affected": "1",
      "source": "Red Hat CSAF VEX",
      "status": "final",
      "title": "ssmtp: unitialized memory disclosure",
      "url": "https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2008/cve-2008-3962.json",
      "version": "3"
    }
  }
}



Log in or create an account to share your comment.




Tags
Taxonomy of the tags.


Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Drag nodes to arrange them. Double-click a related vulnerability to open it, or a source to visit its link. The Physics button on the left tunes the layout and the simulation; the legend at the bottom left hides or shows nodes by kind and by sighting type.

Forecast uses a logistic model when the trend is rising, or an exponential decay model when the trend is falling. Fitted via linearized least squares.

Sightings

Author Source Type Date Other

Nomenclature

  • Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
  • Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
  • Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
  • Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
  • Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
  • Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

JSON
How durations are calculated

Following the VTEM framework (Black Hat USA 2015), time to patch starts when the vendor or a coordinator was informed, total time to patch at discovery, and disclosure to patch at public disclosure; vendor response time runs from the report to its acknowledgement. Time to exploit and time unpatched start at the earliest discovery or report, falling back to public disclosure. Unpatched time ends at the first recorded patch, or the calculation time when no patch is recorded. Exploitation to patch shows the interval between those two events; a published proof of concept is a public exploit, not exploitation.

Each result shows its source dates. A negative interval means the end event came first; when date-only inputs leave the order open, the result says so. Date-only inputs are approximate. The earliest evidence wins: KEV report dates and sightings are labelled as such. Records describing another vulnerability are listed but never calculated from, and a PoC alone does not establish exploitation. Missing patch evidence does not prove that no patch exists. Filters below change the event list only.

Events included in the timeline

Loading timeline…


    Loading…

    Loading…

    Loading…

    Related by attack behaviour

    Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.