CVE-2017-12638
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedStack based buffer overflow in Ipswitch IMail server up to and including 12.5.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors in IMmailSrv, aka ETBL or ETCETERABLUE.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in Ipswitch IMail server's IMmailSrv component (versions up to 12.5.5). The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by sending specially crafted requests to the affected service.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 12.5.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify Ipswitch IMail Server installationLocate the IMail Server installation directory or check for the presence of IMail Server software on the system using installed programs list or file system search for 'IMail' or 'Ipswitch' directories.Affected if Ipswitch IMail Server is installed on the system.
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Determine IMail Server versionCheck the version of the installed IMail Server. Typical locations include the program's About dialog, the installation directory's version info, or registry keys under HKLM\Software\Ipswitch\IMail. Compare the installed version number to the affected range: any version <= 12.5.5.Affected if The installed version is 12.5.5 or any earlier version.
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Locate the IMmailSrv componentIdentify the presence of the IMmailSrv executable or service within the IMail Server installation directory. This component is the specific target of this vulnerability.Affected if The IMmailSrv component exists in the IMail installation.
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Determine IMmailSrv exposureCheck if the IMmailSrv service is running and listening on network ports. Use commands such as 'netstat -an' or check Windows service status for IMmailSrv to see if it is active and bound to network interfaces.Affected if The IMmailSrv service is running and accessible over the network.
The environment is affected if Ipswitch IMail Server version 12.5.5 or lower is installed with the IMmailSrv component running and network-accessible.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Ipswitch IMail server to a patched version beyond 12.5.5. If patching is not immediately feasible, restrict network access to IMmailSrv and monitor for indicators of compromise.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,096.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-12638 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-12638 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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