# CVE-2019-18862: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can escalate privileges via the setuid maidag utility in url mode within GNU Mailutils.

- **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:** 11 Nov 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2019-18862, GHSA-rww3-9vvq-977p, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-18862, openSUSE-SU-2024:11035-1

## What is CVE-2019-18862?

CVE-2019-18862 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Nov 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

maidag in GNU Mailutils before 3.8 is installed setuid and allows local privilege escalation in the url mode.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-18862?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `mailutils` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 3.8-8.8 |

Products: Gnu Mailutils.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-18862?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2019-18862 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-18862 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- GNU Mailutils 3.7 - Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2005-2878](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2878/): Code injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1824](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1824/): SQL injection in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1520](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1520/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1521](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1521/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1523](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1523/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-18862 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-18862 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 11 Nov 2019. 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-2019-18862 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2019-18862/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18862/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-18862
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-18862
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-18862

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18862/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.