# CVE-2014-7844: Command injection in mailx

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands on systems using BSD mailx by sending a crafted email address.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Jan 2020
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-7844, DLA-113-1, DSA-3104-1, GHSA-v8v3-2m82-gr7p, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-7844, USN-2455-1

## What is CVE-2014-7844?

CVE-2014-7844 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Jan 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

BSD mailx 8.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted email address.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-7844?

It affects 8 products.


Products: Bsd Mailx Project Bsd Mailx, Debian Debian Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-7844?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2014-7844 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-7844 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2004-2771](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2771/): Command injection in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-7844 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-7844 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Jan 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-7844 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2014-7844/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7844/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-7844
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-7844
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-7844

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7844/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.