Adjacent-network code execution via SPF macro underflow
Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Mar 28, 2025
Integer underflow in Exim LibSPF2 allows remote attackers on an adjacent network to execute code through crafted SPF macros. In SPF_c_parse_var in spf_compile.c, the parser subtracts sizeof(SPF_data_t) from an undersized available-length value without first checking the bound, so the computed capacity underflows before subsequent writes. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation runs code as the service account; upstream correspondence leaves the linkage between the published CVE and the candidate fix unresolved.
Summary
What happened
Integer underflow in Exim LibSPF2 allows remote attackers on an adjacent network to execute code through crafted SPF macros. In SPF_c_parse_var in spf_compile.c, the parser subtracts sizeof(SPF_data_t) from an undersized available-length value without first checking the bound, so the computed capacity underflows before subsequent writes. No authentication or user interaction is required, and successful exploitation runs code as the service account; upstream correspondence leaves the linkage between the published CVE and the candidate fix unresolved.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-42118
- Published
- May 3, 2024
- Updated
- Mar 28, 2025
- Vendor
- LibSPF2 Project
- Product
- LibSPF2
- Classifications
- CWE-191, T1190
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 28, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <*
- Affected versionversion=exim 4.96-RC0-14-24b8ed847-XX
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo