Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2010-20119 is a high-severity memory corruption issue in CommuniCrypt Mail 1.16 and earlier ActiveX controls. A user must interact with content that invokes the vulnerable control. The main business risk is compromise of legacy Windows endpoints that still have this old mail software or its ActiveX components installed.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted legacy-technology risk, not a broad internet-facing emergency. Prioritize asset discovery and removal from sensitive workstations. If the software is absent, business exposure is minimal. If present on user endpoints, remediation should be prompt because public exploit references exist.
Technical view
The AddAttachments() method in ANSMTP.dll and AOSMTP.dll does not properly validate string length, causing a stack-based buffer overflow. The supplied CVSS v4 score is 8.6 with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges, and active user interaction required. Sources cite public exploit references, but KEV status is false.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to legacy environments where CommuniCrypt Mail up to 1.16, or its ANSMTP/AOSMTP ActiveX controls, remain installed and usable. The affected-data entry is inconsistent, so validate against installed software and DLL inventory rather than assuming broad exposure.
Exploitation context
Public exploit references exist from Metasploit and Exploit-DB, and security vendors list detection signatures. The provided bundle does not establish active exploitation in the wild, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. User interaction is required under the supplied CVSS vector.
Researcher notes
The bundle supports the vulnerability mechanism, affected version claim, CVSS 8.6, public exploit availability, and vendor detection references. It does not provide a vendor patch, confirmed active exploitation, or a complete CPE mapping. The affected block appears inconsistent with the prose description, so verify exposure manually.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory endpoints for CommuniCrypt Mail and the ANSMTP/AOSMTP ActiveX controls.
- Check CommuniCrypt or trusted vendor guidance for supported fixes or retirement advice.
- Remove or disable the vulnerable controls where no supported fix is available.
- Restrict legacy browser ActiveX usage on managed Windows endpoints.
- Monitor IPS/EDR telemetry for vendor signatures tied to this vulnerability.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether CommuniCrypt Mail 1.16 or earlier is installed anywhere.
- Search managed assets for ANSMTP.dll and AOSMTP.dll.
- Review browser and endpoint policy for permitted ActiveX controls.
- Check IDS/IPS coverage against Broadcom and FortiGuard signature references.
- Document false positives and unsupported legacy hosts for risk acceptance.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-121: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2010-20119 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.6 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——VulnCheckVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.6HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/browser/communicrypt_mail_activex.rbCVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/12663CVE reference, VulnCheck · exploit
- https://www.broadcom.com/support/security-center/attacksignatures/detail?asid=24374CVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
- https://softwarelode.com/4185/details-communicrypt-mail.htmlCVE reference, VulnCheck · product
- https://www.fortiguard.com/encyclopedia/ips/23099CVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/communicrypt-mail-activex-control-buffer-overflowCVE reference, VulnCheck · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Stack-based Buffer Overflow
Stack-based Buffer Overflow represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.