# CVE-2020-7247: OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> CVE-2020-7247: OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. CVSS 9.8 (CVSS 3.1), in CISA KEV.

Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-7247
Last updated: 2025-10-21T23:35:53Z

- Published: 2020-01-29 15:53 UTC · Updated: 2025-10-21 23:35 UTC · Assigner: mitre
- CVSS: 9.8 (CVSS 3.1) · Severity: Critical · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS: 99.0%, 100th percentile (scored 2026-10-25)
- CISA KEV: yes, added 2022-03-25, federal due date 2022-04-15, ransomware use: Unknown

## Description

smtp\_mailaddr in smtp\_session.c in OpenSMTPD 6.6, as used in OpenBSD 6.6 and other products, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as root via a crafted SMTP session, as demonstrated by shell metacharacters in a MAIL FROM field. This affects the "uncommented" default configuration. The issue exists because of an incorrect return value upon failure of input validation.

## CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

## Affected vendors and products

- OpenBSD: OpenSMTPD

## References

- [CVE record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-7247)
- [NVD entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-7247)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156137/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-Privilege-Escalation-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156137/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-Privilege-Escalation-Code-Execution.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156145/OpenSMTPD-6.6.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156145/OpenSMTPD-6.6.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156249/OpenSMTPD-MAIL-FROM-Remote-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156249/OpenSMTPD-MAIL-FROM-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156295/OpenSMTPD-6.6.1-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156295/OpenSMTPD-6.6.1-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162093/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-6.6-Remote-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162093/OpenBSD-OpenSMTPD-6.6-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Jan/49](http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Jan/49)
- [https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/9dcfda045474d8903224d175907bfc29761dcb45](https://github.com/openbsd/src/commit/9dcfda045474d8903224d175907bfc29761dcb45)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OPH4QU4DNVHA7ACFXMYFCEP5PSXXPN4E/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OPH4QU4DNVHA7ACFXMYFCEP5PSXXPN4E/)
- [https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2020/Jan/51](https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2020/Jan/51)
- [https://usn.ubuntu.com/4268-1/](https://usn.ubuntu.com/4268-1/)
- [https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4611](https://www.debian.org/security/2020/dsa-4611)
- [https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/390745](https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/390745)
- [https://www.openbsd.org/security.html](https://www.openbsd.org/security.html)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/01/28/3](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/01/28/3)

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_Sources: CVE records from the CVE Program (cve.org). CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. (https://www.cve.org/) This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. (https://nvd.nist.gov/) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog from CISA. (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) EPSS scores from FIRST (Exploit Prediction Scoring System). (https://www.first.org/epss/)_


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-7247 · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2020-7247.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2020-7247 · Data licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · Generated 2026-10-26T02:05:43.829Z