Root code execution via dangling pretrigger pointer
Published Mar 27, 2025 · Updated Mar 28, 2025
Use-after-free in Exim 4.96 through 4.98.1 allows local users with command-line access to execute arbitrary code as root. The debug pretrigger buffer is freed without clearing debug_pretrigger_buf, so storage-management code treats the dangling pointer as valid and reuses released memory. Exploitation requires local command execution through the dp debug parameter; successful exploitation elevates a low-privileged process to root.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Exim 4.96 through 4.98.1 allows local users with command-line access to execute arbitrary code as root. The debug pretrigger buffer is freed without clearing debug_pretrigger_buf, so storage-management code treats the dangling pointer as valid and reuses released memory. Exploitation requires local command execution through the dp debug parameter; successful exploitation elevates a low-privileged process to root.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-30232
- Published
- Mar 27, 2025
- Updated
- Mar 28, 2025
- Vendor
- LibSPF2 Project
- Product
- Exim
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 27, 2025CVE 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
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=4.96 <4.98.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
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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