How severe is CVE-2020-28015?

CVE-2020-28015 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-28015 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (30th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-28015?

CVE-2020-28015 affects Exim. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-28015?

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-2020-28015 published?

CVE-2020-28015 was published on 2021-05-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-28015

CVE-2020-28015 is a high-severity vulnerability in Exim with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (30th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Exim
Published: 2021-05-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Exim 4 before 4.94.2 has Improper Neutralization of Line Delimiters. Local users can alter the behavior of root processes because a recipient address can have a newline character.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-28015?: Exim 4 before 4.94.2 has Improper Neutralization of Line Delimiters. Local users can alter the behavior of root processes because a recipient address can have a newline character.
How severe is CVE-2020-28015?: CVE-2020-28015 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-28015 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (30th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-28015?: CVE-2020-28015 affects Exim. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-28015?: 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-2020-28015 published?: CVE-2020-28015 was published on 2021-05-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://www.exim.org/static/doc/security/CVE-2020-qualys/CVE-2020-28015-NLEND.txt

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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All CVEs affecting Exim →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

76.12.128.249 (ipv4-addr)
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)