# CVE-2025-26794: SQL injection in Exim

> Remote attackers can perform SQL injection in Exim mail server when SQLite hints and ETRN serialization are enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Feb 2025
- **Updated:** 18 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-26794, GHSA-v8m7-99rg-xp5c

## What is CVE-2025-26794?

CVE-2025-26794 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in Exim Exim, published on 21 Feb 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Exim 4.98 before 4.98.1, when SQLite hints and ETRN serialization are used, allows remote SQL injection. (Resolving SQL injection requires an update to 4.99.1 in certain non-default rate-limit configurations.)

Weakness: CWE-89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-26794?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Exim Exim.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-26794?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2025-26794 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-26794 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2025-26794: Blind SQL injection in Exim 4.98 (SQLite DBM)- exploit writeup (github_poc): https://github.com/OscarBataille/CVE-2025-26794
- SQL injection exploit for CVE-2025-26794 in Exim 4.98. Automated data extraction via time-based blind SQLi. For authorized penetration testing only. (github_poc): https://github.com/XploitGh0st/CVE-2025-26794-exploit
- https://github.com/ishwardeepp/CVE-2025-26794-Exim-Mail-SQLi (github_poc): https://github.com/ishwardeepp/CVE-2025-26794-Exim-Mail-SQLi

## Other vulnerabilities in Exim Exim

- [CVE-2026-45185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-45185/): Use after free in Exim (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-42115](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-42115/): Exim AUTH Out-Of-Bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-28017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28017/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-28018](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28018/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-28020](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-28020/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-26794 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-26794 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in Exim Exim, published on 21 Feb 2025. 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-2025-26794 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Exim Exim. 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-2025-26794/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-26794/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-26794
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-26794
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-26794

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-26794/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.