---
title: "CVE-2019-12970\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-12970?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2019-12970

Publication date 1 July 2019

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.1 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-12970?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

XSS was discovered in SquirrelMail through 1.4.22 and 1.5.x through 1.5.2.
Due to improper handling of RCDATA and RAWTEXT type elements, the built-in
sanitization mechanism can be bypassed. Malicious script content from HTML
e-mail can be executed within the application context via crafted use of
(for example) a NOEMBED, NOFRAMES, NOSCRIPT, or TEXTAREA element.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered a XSS vulnerability in SquirrelMail. An attacker could use
malicious script content from HTML e-mail to execute code and/or provoke a
denial of service.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| squirrelmail | 20.10 groovy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 19.10 eoan | Not in release |
| 19.04 disco | Not in release |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb8u3ubuntu0.16.04.2 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 2:1.4.23~svn20120406-2+deb8u3ubuntu0.14.04.1~esm1  Ubuntu Pro |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

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## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

6.1 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Changed |
  | Confidentiality impact | Low |
  | Integrity impact | Low |
  | Availability impact | None |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 6.1 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2019-12970)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-12970)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2019-12970)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2019-12970)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-4669-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4669-1)
+ SquirrelMail vulnerability
+ 10 December 2020

### Other references

* <https://www.syss.de/fileadmin/dokumente/Publikationen/Advisories/SYSS-2019-016.txt>
* <http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153495/SquirrelMail-1.4.22-Cross-Site-Scripting.html>
* <https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jul/0>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-12970>