How severe is CVE-2008-4491?

CVE-2008-4491 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2008-4491 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (64th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-4491?

CVE-2008-4491 affects Apple Mail. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-4491?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2008-4491 published?

CVE-2008-4491 was published on 2008-10-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-4491

CVE-2008-4491 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apple Mail with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-200.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (64th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-200
Affected product: Apple Mail
Published: 2008-10-08
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Apple Mail.app 3.5 on Mac OS X, when "Store draft messages on the server" is enabled, stores draft copies of S/MIME email in plaintext on the email server, which allows server owners and remote man-in-the-middle attackers to read sensitive mail.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-4491?: Apple Mail.app 3.5 on Mac OS X, when "Store draft messages on the server" is enabled, stores draft copies of S/MIME email in plaintext on the email server, which allows server owners and remote man-in-the-middle attackers to read sensitive mail.
How severe is CVE-2008-4491?: CVE-2008-4491 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2008-4491 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (64th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-4491?: CVE-2008-4491 affects Apple Mail. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-4491?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2008-4491 published?: CVE-2008-4491 was published on 2008-10-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:apple:mail:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Apple Mail

CVE-2008-0039 — Medium (CVSS 6.8): Unspecified vulnerability in Mail in Apple Mac OS X 10.4.11 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a…
CVE-2017-17689 — Medium (CVSS 5.9): The S/MIME specification allows a Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) malleability-gadget attack that can indirectly lead to…
CVE-2017-17688 — Medium (CVSS 5.9): The OpenPGP specification allows a Cipher Feedback Mode (CFB) malleability-gadget attack that can indirectly lead to…
CVE-2010-3887 — Medium (CVSS 4.3): The Limit Mail feature in the Parental Controls functionality in Mail on Apple Mac OS X does not properly enforce the…
CVE-2005-2512 — Low (CVSS 2.1): Mail.app in Mac OS 10.4.2 and earlier, when printing or forwarding an HTML message, loads remote images even when the…

All CVEs affecting Apple Mail →

Other CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-27604 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): FOSSBilling is a free, open-source billing and client management system. Starting in version 0.5.4 and prior to version…
CVE-2026-40965 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Cloud Foundry UAA versions v76.12.0 through v78.12.0 are vulnerable to a private key exposure. The server contains a…
CVE-2026-42826 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor in Azure DevOps allows an unauthorized attacker to disclose…
CVE-2025-29270 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Incorrect access control in the realtime.cgi endpoint of Deep Sea Electronics devices DSE855 v1.1.0 to v1.1.26 allows…
CVE-2025-61481 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): An issue in MikroTik RouterOS v.7.14.2 and SwOS v.2.18 exposes the WebFig management interface over cleartext HTTP by…
CVE-2025-53624 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The Docusaurus gists plugin adds a page to your Docusaurus instance, displaying all public gists of a GitHub user.…

Browse all CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) vulnerabilities →