# CVE-2009-1579: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in usernames processed by the ypmatch program in SquirrelMail.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 May 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gff5-24h3-hxcw

## What is CVE-2009-1579?

CVE-2009-1579 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Squirrelmail Squirrelmail, published on 14 May 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The map_yp_alias function in functions/imap_general.php in SquirrelMail before 1.4.18 and NaSMail before 1.7 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a username string that is used by the ypmatch program.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-1579?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Squirrelmail Squirrelmail.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-1579?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2009-1579 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-1579 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Squirrelmail Squirrelmail

- [CVE-2002-0516](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0516/): Command injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2020-14932](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14932/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-14933](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14933/): Deserialization in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-7692](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7692/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2007-2631](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2631/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-1579 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-1579 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Squirrelmail Squirrelmail, published on 14 May 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-1579 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Squirrelmail Squirrelmail. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1579/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1579/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-1579
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-1579
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-1579

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1579/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.