CVE-2014-7844

Command execution via pipe-prefixed recipient addresses

Published Jan 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Command injection in BSD mailx 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute shell commands via a crafted recipient email address. The expandaddr recipient-processing path treats an address beginning with a pipe character as a command and passes the remainder to a shell. The crafted address must reach mailx through command-line input, a -t header, or a reply-derived address, and execution inherits the invoking process's privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in BSD mailx 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute shell commands via a crafted recipient email address. The expandaddr recipient-processing path treats an address beginning with a pipe character as a command and passes the remainder to a shell. The crafted address must reach mailx through command-line input, a -t header, or a reply-derived address, and execution inherits the invoking process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2014-7844
Published
Jan 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-74, T1059
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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