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CVE-2021-38502

5.9 · MEDIUM

Thunderbird ignored the configuration to require STARTTLS security for an SMTP connection.

Published Nov 3, 2021EPSS 1.10%

Overview

CVE-2021-38502 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on November 3, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

Thunderbird ignored the configuration to require STARTTLS security for an SMTP connection. A MITM could perform a downgrade attack to intercept transmitted messages, or could take control of the authenticated session to execute SMTP commands chosen by the MITM. If an unprotected authentication method was configured, the MITM could obtain the authentication credentials, too. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 91.2.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

Refbugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1733366Reflists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00001.htmlRefwww.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5034Refwww.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-47/Refbugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1733366Reflists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00001.htmlRefwww.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5034Refwww.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-47/

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2021-38502?

CVE-2021-38502 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on November 3, 2021 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2021-38502?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.9, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2021-38502?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2021-38502?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2021-38502 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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