CVE-2019-15961
CWE-20Published: January 15, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
A vulnerability in the email parsing module Clam AntiVirus (ClamAV) Software versions 0.102.0, 0.101.4 and prior could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to inefficient MIME parsing routines that result in extremely long scan times of specially formatted email files. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted email file to an affected device. An exploit could allow the attacker to cause the ClamAV scanning process to scan the crafted email file indefinitely, resulting in a denial of service condition.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2019-15961 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (10)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-20)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2019-15961 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts