dbcve.org
JamesApplication · Apache

CVE-2022-45935

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-01-06
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 3.7.2 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

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 · unedited
Usage of temporary files with insecure permissions by the Apache James server allows an attacker with local access to access private user data in transit. Vulnerable components includes the SMTP stack and IMAP APPEND command. This issue affects Apache James server version 3.7.2 and prior versions.

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 confidence

Apache James server creates temporary files with insecure permissions during SMTP and IMAP APPEND operations, allowing local attackers with file system access to read user data in transit. The vulnerable temp file handling exposes private email data as it passes through the server.

MitigationUpgrade to Apache James server version 3.7.3 or later, which implements secure temporary file handling with restricted permissions. If upgrading is not immediately possible, ensure strict file system access controls limit local user access to temp directories.

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
JamesApplication
Affected:<= 3.7.2

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Apache James installation and version
    Locate the James installation directory and check the version file (typically found in a version.properties or README file within the James installation). Common paths include /opt/james, /usr/share/james, or a custom installation directory.
    Affected if The installed version is 3.7.2 or any version lower than 3.7.2.
  2. Verify SMTP service is enabled
    Check the James configuration file (typically smtp.xml or server.xml in the conf/etc directory) to confirm the SMTP listener is enabled and configured.
    Affected if SMTP service is active and the James version is 3.7.2 or lower.
  3. Verify IMAP service is enabled
    Check the James configuration file (typically imap.xml or server.xml in the conf/etc directory) to confirm the IMAP listener is enabled and configured.
    Affected if IMAP service is active and the James version is 3.7.2 or lower.
  4. Inspect temporary file directory permissions
    Locate the temporary file directory used by James (commonly the system temp directory or a configured temp path in James configuration). Use 'ls -la' to view directory permissions and check for any recently created files with overly permissive access (e.g., world-readable permissions).
    Affected if The temp directory or files within it are readable by unprivileged users (permissions allow read access beyond the James process owner).

A system is affected if it runs Apache James version 3.7.2 or lower with SMTP or IMAP services enabled, and the temporary file directory is accessible to local users beyond the James process account.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 3.7.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Apache James server version 3.7.3 or later, which implements secure temporary file handling with restricted permissions. If upgrading is not immediately possible, ensure strict file system access controls limit local user access to temp directories.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Apache James 3.7.3 or later

  1. Download Apache James Server 3.7.3 or later from the official Apache James distribution repository
  2. Stop the running Apache James server instance
  3. Backup the current James configuration and data directories
  4. Extract and install the new version (3.7.3 or later)
  5. Restore the configuration from the backup
  6. Start the Apache James server
  7. Verify the server is running correctly and test SMTP/IMAP functionality
Caveat Review release notes for any configuration changes between 3.7.2 and the target version; minor version upgrades typically maintain backward compatibility

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in James Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-45935 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data