🛡️ CVE-2026-42006 — dovecot
Description
An attacker can cause uncontrolled memory usage with excessive bracing over IMAP. The fix in CVE-2026-27857 was incomplete, only blocking one way of doing this, so there was still another way left open. In particular, the fix was for closing braces, but you could still use open braces to bypass the limit. Using excessive bracing, attacker can cause memory usage up to configured memory limit. Install fixed version, or configure vsz_limit for imap process to low value. No publicly available exploits are known.
How this vulnerability can be exploited
This issue can be reached over the network, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs low-level privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability low.
Weakness class
CVE-2026-42006 is classified as CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption. A request can consume memory, CPU or storage without limit, exhausting capacity for everyone else.
Affected software
CVE-2026-42006 is recorded against 2 packages.
- dovecot (fixed in 3.1.5)
- unknown
Timeline and source
Published on 12 May 2026 and last revised on 3 August 2026. No public exploit is currently recorded for this entry. Record sourced from NVD.
References
documentation.open-xchange.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
access.redhat.com
bugzilla.redhat.com
security.access.redhat.com
CVE-2026-42006 on other distributions
Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:
Details
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Affected Packages
| Software | From version | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| dovecot | — | 3.1.5 |
| unknown | — | — |
References
Similar Threats
- Unknown ALPINE-CVE-2026-27851
- Unknown ALPINE-CVE-2026-33603
- Unknown ALPINE-CVE-2026-40016
- Unknown ALPINE-CVE-2026-40020
- Unknown ALPINE-CVE-2026-42006
More CVE 2026 advisories
Browse all of CVE 2026 in the advisory index.
Vulnerability Monitoring
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