CVE-2003-0285: IBM AIX 5.2 and earlier distributes Sendmail with a configuration file (sendmail.cf) with the (1) promiscuo...

Security readout for executives and security teams

IBM AIX 5.2 and earlier shipped Sendmail with permissive relay settings. An exposed server could be abused as an open mail relay to send spam, creating reputational, blocklisting, and operational risk rather than a direct system takeover. Likely exposure is legacy IBM AIX 5.2 or earlier systems running Sendmail with the distributed sendmail.cf and reachable SMTP service. Systems with hardened relay restrictions or no exposed Sendmail service are less likely exposed. Treat as a legacy exposure cleanup item with meaningful business risk. It can damage email reputation and cause operational disruption, but sources do not indicate code execution or active exploitation. Mitigation focus: Identify AIX 5.2 or earlier systems running Sendmail.; Review IBM, CERT, or Sendmail guidance before production changes.; Disable permissive relay features named in the CVE..

Prepared

Jun 30, 2026, 10:57 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.