CVE-2008-7258: The standardise function in Anibal Monsalve Salazar sSMTP 2.61 and 2.62 allows local users to cause a denial o

Routine

LOW 2.1DOWNGRADE

CVE-2008-7258 is a low-severity flaw (CVSS 2.1) affecting ssmtp. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The standardise function in Anibal Monsalve Salazar sSMTP 2.61 and 2.62 allows local users to cause a denial of service (application exit) via an e-mail message containing a long line that begins with a . (dot) character. NOTE: CVE disputes this issue because it is solely a usability problem for senders of messages with certain long lines, and has no security impact

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	2.1 (Low)
EPSS exploit chance	1.1% (top 36%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-20
Published	2010-08-20
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: anibal monsalve salaz

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2010-08-20 18:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 23:03 UTCUpdated Record last modified

anibal monsalve salaz ssmtp DOWNGRADE

Affected: 2.61 · 2.62

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 2.61

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy ssmtp || rpm -q ssmtp || ssmtp --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 2.61 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison ssmtp sudo apt install ssmtp=<VERSION_BEFORE_2.61> sudo apt-mark hold ssmtp

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list ssmtp sudo dnf downgrade ssmtp-<VERSION_BEFORE_2.61> sudo dnf versionlock add ssmtp

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: sSMTP 2.62 - 'standardize()' Buffer Overflow

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2008-7258?

ssmtp: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2008-7258 being exploited?

CVE-2008-7258 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2008-7258 affect?

CVE-2008-7258 affects ssmtp. Severity is low (CVSS 2.1). The standardise function in Anibal Monsalve Salazar sSMTP 2.61 and 2.62 allows local users to cause a denial of service (application exit) via an e-mail message containing a long line that begins with a . (dot) character. NOTE: CVE dispute

How urgent is CVE-2008-7258?

Priority 28/100. Public exploit reference

Related CVEs

CVE-2008-3962 LOW 2.6 DOWNGRADE The from_format function in ssmtp.c in ssmtp 2.61 and 2.62, in certain configurations, uses uninitialized memo

References

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