CVE-2020-16118
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL...
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
CVE-2020-16118- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 5.0 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
CVE-2020-16118- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-8084 No score
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
EUVD-2020-8084- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-c2wx-fcx5-8pm2
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL...
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
GHSA-c2wx-fcx5-8pm2- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-476
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
CVE-2020-16118- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-16118
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2020-16118- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-16118
In GNOME Balsa before 2.6.0, a malicious server operator or man in the middle can trigger a NULL pointer dereference and client crash by sending a PREAUTH response to imap_mbox_connect in libbalsa/imap/imap-handle.c.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16118- CVSS 3.1
- 7.5 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2020:1207-1 No score
Security update for balsa
This update for balsa fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-16118: Fixed a NULL pointer dereference (boo#1174711).
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2020:1207-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2020:1230-1 No score
Security update for balsa
This update for balsa fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-16118: Fixed a NULL pointer dereference (boo#1174711).
This update was imported from the openSUSE:Leap:15.1:Update update project.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2020:1230-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
balsaDebian:12 |
before 2.6.0-1 | 2.6.0-1 |
balsaDebian:13 |
before 2.6.0-1 | 2.6.0-1 |
balsaDebian:14 |
before 2.6.0-1 | 2.6.0-1 |
balsaUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.4.12-12.4.12-2 |
None known |
balsaUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.5.3-2build32.5.3-4 |
None known |
balsaopenSUSE:Leap 15.1 |
before 2.5.5-lp151.3.3.1 | 2.5.5-lp151.3.3.1 |
balsaSUSE:Package Hub 15 SP1 |
before 2.5.5-bp151.4.3.1 | 2.5.5-bp151.4.3.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-16118 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.5) in Gnome Balsa, published July 29, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.05%, the 81st percentile. Fixed in balsa 2.6.0-1.
References
gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/balsa/-/issues/23
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-08/msg00035.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-16118
github.com/advisories/GHSA-c2wx-fcx5-8pm2
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security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-16118
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-16118
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-16118
bugzilla.suse.com/1174711
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-16118