# CVE-2012-2578: Cross-site scripting in n/a

> Remote attackers can inject arbitrary web script via malicious email bodies, potentially leading to code execution or account takeover.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 19 Sep 2012
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j758-8r2q-fvx5

## What is CVE-2012-2578?

CVE-2012-2578 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 Sep 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in SmarterMail 9.2 allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via an e-mail message body with (1) a JavaScript alert function used in conjunction with the fromCharCode method, (2) a SCRIPT element, (3) a Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) expression property in the STYLE attribute of an arbitrary element, or (4) an innerHTML attribute within an XML document.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-2578?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Smartertools Smartermail.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-2578?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-2578 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-2578 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-2578 exists.

Public exploit code:

- smartermail free 9.2 - Persistent Cross-Site Scripting (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2025-52691](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-52691/): SmarterTools SmarterMail Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24423](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24423/): SmarterTools SmarterMail Missing Authentication for Critical Function (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-23760](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-23760/): SmarterTools SmarterMail Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (critical 9.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-32234](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32234/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-7214](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7214/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-2578 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-2578 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in n/a, published on 19 Sep 2012. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2012-2578 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2012-2578/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2578/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2578
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2578
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-2578

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2578/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.