CVE-2013-6171: checkpassword-reply in Dovecot before 2.2.7 performs setuid operations to a user who is authenticating, whi...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This flaw affects older Dovecot mail servers using the checkpassword authentication flow. A local user on the mail host could interfere with authentication handling and gain access to virtual email accounts. The public data does not show remote exploitation or active exploitation. Exposure is most likely on mail servers running Dovecot before 2.2.7 with checkpassword authentication enabled, especially where local users have access to the host. Systems not using checkpassword are not clearly shown as affected in the provided sources. Treat this as a targeted infrastructure hygiene issue. It is not evidenced as actively exploited, but mail confidentiality risk justifies prompt remediation on legacy Dovecot systems with local users or shared hosting characteristics. Mitigation focus: Upgrade Dovecot to 2.2.7 or a vendor-supported fixed package.; Apply relevant Ubuntu or distribution security updates where applicable.; Review Dovecot checkpassword security guidance for configuration-specific exposure..

Prepared

Jun 14, 2026, 15:13 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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