CVE-2019-15846

CVE-2019-15846 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Exim with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 36% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

• Severity: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
• CVSS v2: 10.0
• EPSS exploit prediction: 36% (98th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Affected product: Exim
• Published: 2019-09-06
• Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Exim before 4.92.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code as root via a trailing backslash.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-15846?

Exim before 4.92.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code as root via a trailing backslash.

How severe is CVE-2019-15846?

CVE-2019-15846 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2019-15846 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 36% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-15846?

CVE-2019-15846 primarily affects Exim. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-15846?

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

When was CVE-2019-15846 published?

CVE-2019-15846 was published on 2019-09-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

• http://exim.org/static/doc/security/CVE-2019-15846.txt
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-09/msg00024.html
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/2
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/4
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/5
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/6
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/8
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/07/1
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/07/2
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/08/1
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/09/1
• https://exim.org/static/doc/security/CVE-2019-15846.txt
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/09/msg00004.html
• https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FT3GY7V7SR2RHKNZNQCGXFWUSILVSZNU/
• https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NDF37AUNETIOXY6ZLQAUBGBVUTMMV242/
• https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SBNHDAF74RI6VK2JVSEIE3VYNL7JJDYM/
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Sep/13
• https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201909-06
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/4124-1/
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/4124-2/
• https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4517
• https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/672565
• https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/09/06/1

Affected products (4)

• cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Exim

• CVE-2026-45185 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim before 4.99.3, in certain GnuTLS configurations, has a remotely reachable use-after-free in the BDAT body parsing…
• CVE-2023-42117 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim Improper Neutralization of Special Elements Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote…
• CVE-2023-42116 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim SMTP Challenge Stack-based Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote…
• CVE-2023-42115 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim AUTH Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to…
• CVE-2022-37452 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim before 4.95 has a heap-based buffer overflow for the alias list in host_name_lookup in host.c when…
• CVE-2020-28026 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Exim 4 before 4.94.2 has Improper Neutralization of Line Delimiters, relevant in non-default configurations that enable…

All CVEs affecting Exim →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

• 50.116.72.139 (ipv4-addr)
• 166.62.41.190 (ipv4-addr)
• 132.148.155.138 (ipv4-addr)
• 50.62.22.47 (ipv4-addr)
• 31.131.22.122 (ipv4-addr)
• 193.68.57.43 (ipv4-addr)
• 192.169.201.223 (ipv4-addr)
• 191.101.33.225 (ipv4-addr)