Mutt: Buffer overflow

Security Team  Contact Address

Updated June 28, 2006

1.  Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Version Information

Advisory Reference GLSA 200606-27 / mutt
Release Date June 28, 2006
Latest Revision June 28, 2006: 01
Impact normal
Exploitable remote
Package Vulnerable versions Unaffected versions Architecture(s)
mail-client/mutt < 1.5.11-r2 >= 1.5.11-r2 All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #138125

Synopsis

Mutt contains a buffer overflow that could result in arbitrary code execution.

2.  Impact Information

Background

Mutt is a small but very powerful text-based mail client.

Description

TAKAHASHI Tamotsu has discovered that Mutt contains a boundary error in the "browse_get_namespace()" function in browse.c, which can be triggered when receiving an overly long namespace from an IMAP server.

Impact

A malicious IMAP server can send an overly long namespace to Mutt in order to crash the application, and possibly execute arbitrary code with the permissions of the user running Mutt.

3.  Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All Mutt users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=mail-client/mutt-1.5.11-r2"

4.  References