CVE-2002-1337 in Sendmail
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Sendmail 5.79 to 8.12.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via certain formatted address fields, related to sender and recipient header comments as processed by the crackaddr function of headers.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1337 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Sendmail email server software affecting versions 5.79 through 8.12.7. This issue resides in the crackaddr function within the headers.c source file, which processes email header fields containing sender and recipient information. The flaw specifically manifests when processing formatted address fields that contain comments, creating a condition where attacker-controlled input can overflow memory buffers allocated for address parsing operations. This vulnerability falls under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checks allow data to overwrite adjacent memory locations, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of vulnerabilities in email servers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the improper handling of email address comments within the SMTP protocol processing pipeline. When Sendmail encounters email headers containing specially crafted comment structures in address fields, the crackaddr function fails to properly validate the length of input data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. This allows attackers to inject malicious data that exceeds the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory regions including return addresses, function pointers, or other critical program state information. The attack vector requires remote execution as the vulnerability can be triggered through normal email transmission processes without requiring authentication or privileged access to the mail server.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1337 is severe and potentially catastrophic for affected systems. Successful exploitation enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Sendmail process, typically running as root or a privileged user account. This privilege escalation capability allows attackers to gain full control over the affected mail server, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or use of the compromised server as a platform for further attacks against internal networks. The vulnerability affects organizations relying on Sendmail for email services, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and increasing the risk of widespread compromise across internet-connected mail servers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected Sendmail installations to versions containing the necessary buffer overflow protections and input validation improvements. Organizations should also implement network-based protections such as email filtering rules that can identify and block suspicious address formats containing malformed comments, as well as monitor for unusual email traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful compromises, and maintain regular backups to ensure rapid recovery capabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that legitimate email functionality remains intact while the vulnerability is properly addressed according to industry best practices for vulnerability management and security hardening.