How severe is CVE-2009-3235?

CVE-2009-3235 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.

Is CVE-2009-3235 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-3235?

CVE-2009-3235 primarily affects Dovecot. In total, 12 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-3235?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2009-3235 published?

CVE-2009-3235 was published on 2009-09-17 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-3235

CVE-2009-3235 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dovecot with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5. 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-119.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (89th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Dovecot
Published: 2009-09-17
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the Sieve plugin in Dovecot 1.0 before 1.0.4 and 1.1 before 1.1.7, as derived from Cyrus libsieve, allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted SIEVE script, as demonstrated by forwarding an e-mail message to a large number of recipients, a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-2632.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-3235?: Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the Sieve plugin in Dovecot 1.0 before 1.0.4 and 1.1 before 1.1.7, as derived from Cyrus libsieve, allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted SIEVE script, as demonstrated by forwarding an e-mail message to a large number of recipients, a different vulnerability than CVE-2009-2632.
How severe is CVE-2009-3235?: CVE-2009-3235 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.
Is CVE-2009-3235 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-3235?: CVE-2009-3235 primarily affects Dovecot. In total, 12 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-3235?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2009-3235 published?: CVE-2009-3235 was published on 2009-09-17 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (12)

cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:dovecot:dovecot:1.1.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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