# CVE-2020-11879: Path traversal in n/a

> Attackers can force GNOME Evolution to attach local files to emails via malicious mailto links, allowing unauthorized data exfiltration.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2020-11879, GHSA-c29m-85fj-ccfm, SUSE-SU-2023:3375-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-11879

## What is CVE-2020-11879?

CVE-2020-11879 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Apr 2020. 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

An issue was discovered in GNOME Evolution before 3.35.91. By using the proprietary (non-RFC6068) "mailto?attach=..." parameter, a website (or other source of mailto links) can make Evolution attach local files or directories to a composed email message without showing a warning to the user, as demonstrated by an attach=. value.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-11879?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `evolution` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 3.22.6-19.14.1 |
| `evolution` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 12 SP5 | All versions | 3.22.6-19.14.1 |

Products: Gnome Evolution.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-11879?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2020-11879 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11879 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-12422](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-12422/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2008-1109](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1109/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2009-3721](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3721/): Path traversal in ytnef (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2008-1108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1108/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2013-4166](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4166/): Information disclosure in Evolution (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-11879 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-11879 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Apr 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-11879 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-2020-11879/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11879/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11879
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-11879
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-11879

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11879/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.