CVE Database›Document archive›CVE-2021-38502

CVE-2021-38502

Mozilla: Downgrade attack on SMTP STARTTLS connections

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Severity

Important

Red Hat Product Security

7.5

CVSS 3.0

Review impact separately from score.

Published · October 6, 2021

Updated · November 22, 2025

Description

Thunderbird ignored the configuration to require STARTTLS security for an SMTP connection. A MITM could perform a downgrade attack to intercept transmitted messages, or could take control of the authenticated session to execute SMTP commands chosen by the MITM. If an unprotected authentication method was configured, the MITM could obtain the authentication credentials, too. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 91.2.

CVSS score applicability

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Mitigation

No mitigation is specified in collected source.

CVSS / CWE

CVSS 3.0 · 7.5
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE-319 · Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information