IMAP process termination via oversized message headers
Published Aug 28, 2026 · Updated Aug 28, 2026
Uncontrolled resource consumption in Open-Xchange OX Dovecot CE and Pro allows remote attackers to terminate an IMAP process. The mail-header parser allocates excessive memory while processing very large address lists or MIME parameter collections in a delivered message. Any attacker able to send mail can plant the trigger, but the service interruption occurs when the affected user later reads the message through IMAP.
Summary
What happened
Uncontrolled resource consumption in Open-Xchange OX Dovecot CE and Pro allows remote attackers to terminate an IMAP process. The mail-header parser allocates excessive memory while processing very large address lists or MIME parameter collections in a delivered message. Any attacker able to send mail can plant the trigger, but the service interruption occurs when the affected user later reads the message through IMAP.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-27852
- Published
- Aug 28, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 28, 2026
- Vendor
- Open-Xchange GmbH
- Product
- OX Dovecot CE
- Classifications
- CWE-400, T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 28, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 28, 2026Record 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=2.3.0 <2.4.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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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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