Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain control of a trusted Proxy-Protocol source
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ExploitConnect to Exim with crafted Proxy-Protocol data
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ExecutionTrigger read of uninitialized stack memory
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ImpactExfiltrate leaked memory contents
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Variable initialization
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Requires that Exim be configured to use PROXY Protocol (i.e. proxy_protocol_hosts set so Exim trusts a fronting proxy/load balancer) AND that the attacker control or successfully impersonate a host in that trusted proxy set. This is a non-default deployment mode: stock Exim installations without Proxy-Protocol enabled are not exposed. The 'attacker-controlled proxy' requirement is the primary limiting factor - an attacker with no position in the proxy trust path cannot trigger it, which is why complexity is high despite the network vector and lack of authentication to Exim itself. |
| Impact | This is a genuine but conditional information-disclosure flaw, not a top-tier priority. The vendor CVSS of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:L) leans high largely because of C:H and a scope change (S:C), both of which are arguable: a CWE-908 read of 'certain uninitialized data from stack memory' is bounded and non-deterministic, so C:L is more defensible than C:H, and an in-process memory read does not clearly cross a security scope, making S:U more appropriate than S:C. The AC:H rating is well-justified - exploitation requires both that Proxy-Protocol be enabled AND that the attacker control (or spoof) a trusted proxy host, a meaningful pair of preconditions. There is no EPSS score, no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit code identified at time of analysis, so there is no signal of widespread or automated exploitation. Net: a real bug worth patching on Proxy-Protocol-enabled mail infrastructure, but real-world risk is moderate and limited by the non-default configuration, not the network-reachable high-CVSS headline. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An organization runs Exim behind a load balancer with Proxy-Protocol enabled and trusts the proxy source. An attacker who controls or can impersonate that trusted proxy sends a crafted Proxy-Protocol header/handshake that causes Exim to return or act on uninitialized stack memory, leaking fragments of process memory that may contain remnants of prior connections or sensitive data. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and success depends on the attacker having a foothold in the proxy trust path. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 19, 2026
Information disclosure in Exim before 4.100.1 allows attackers who control or can impersonate a proxy in the configured proxy_protocol_hosts set to read uninitialized stack memory when PROXY Protocol is enabled, but only in non-default deployments and with limited confidentiality impact. This is a conditional flaw requiring attacker control of a trusted proxy; stock Exim installations without Proxy-Protocol are unaffected. No public exploit code or evidence of active exploitation was identified at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
Upgrade to Exim 4.100.1 or later (vendor-released patch: 4.100.1) per the advisory at https://lists.exim.org/lurker/message/20260918.121220.0f87338e.en.html. If immediate upgrade is not possible, disable PROXY Protocol (remove PROXY Protocol configuration and proxy_protocol_hosts) if not required; this may break client IP preservation behind load balancers, affecting logging and access controls. Alternatively, strictly limit proxy_protocol_hosts to only the exact IP addresses of trusted proxies and enforce network segmentation/firewall rules to prevent spoofing of those addresses; this reduces exposure but does not eliminate the flaw if the proxy itself is compromised. No public exploit code or active exploitation was identified, so prioritize patching based on your exposure to proxy-trusted deployments.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource) in Exim's PROXY Protocol handling. PROXY Protocol is used by load balancers and reverse proxies to pass original client connection information to backend servers. Exim can be configured with proxy_protocol_hosts to trust specific upstream proxies. When an attacker controls or successfully spoofs a host within that trusted set, Exim processes attacker-supplied PROXY Protocol headers and may read uninitialized stack memory, leaking limited data. The provided CPE (cpe:2.3:a:exim:exim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*) covers all Exim versions, but the vulnerability is fixed in 4.100.1. The independent assessment adjusts the CVSS vector from the vendor's S:C/C:H to S:U/C:L, indicating the scope remains unchanged and confidentiality impact is limited to partial information disclosure. Authentication is not required to Exim (PR:N), but the primary limiting factor is the need to control a trusted proxy.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
AC:H and the attacker-controlled-proxy precondition dominate; uninitialized stack data is bounded (C:L not C:H), in-process read (S:U), possible instability (A:L).
Primary rating from Vendor (mitre).
CVSS VectorNVD
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionNVD
Exim before 4.100.1, when Proxy-Protocol is used with an attacker-controlled proxy, allows attackers to read certain uninitialized data from stack memory.
Executive ViewAI
Exim, a widely used mail transfer agent, contains an information disclosure vulnerability (CVE-2026-94056) that could allow an attacker who controls or can impersonate a trusted proxy to read uninitialized stack memory. This only affects non-default deployments with PROXY Protocol enabled and requires attacker control of a proxy in the configured proxy_protocol_hosts set; stock installations are unaffected and no public exploit identified at time of analysis. While the confidentiality impact is limited, organizations using this configuration should assess their exposure because mail servers often handle sensitive communications.
No vendor-released patch identified at time of analysis. Interim mitigations include disabling PROXY Protocol if not required; otherwise, strictly limiting the proxy_protocol_hosts list to trusted, hardened proxies and enforcing network-level access controls to prevent impersonation. Implement monitoring for unauthorized proxy connections. Apply vendor patch when available.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
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EUVD-2026-83614
GHSA-xcfp-8rjq-j39w
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB