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CVE-2021-23993

Status: ModifiedMedium (6.5)—

An attacker may perform a DoS attack to prevent a user from sending encrypted email to a correspondent. If an attacker creates a crafted OpenPGP key with a subkey that has an invalid self signature, and the Thunderbird user imports the crafted key, then Thunderbird may try to use the invalid subkey, but the RNP library rejects it from being used, causing encryption to fail. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 78.9.1.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Mozilla — Thunderbird

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2021-23993",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 4.3,
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 2.9,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 8.6,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": true
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 6.5,
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "security@mozilla.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "Mozilla",
          "product": "Thunderbird",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "unspecified",
              "lessThan": "78.9.1",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2021-06-24T14:15:09.257",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1666360",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Permissions Required",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "security@mozilla.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-13/",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "security@mozilla.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1666360",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Permissions Required",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.mozilla.org/security/advisories/mfsa2021-13/",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-347"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "An attacker may perform a DoS attack to prevent a user from sending encrypted email to a correspondent. If an attacker creates a crafted OpenPGP key with a subkey that has an invalid self signature, and the Thunderbird user imports the crafted key, then Thunderbird may try to use the invalid subkey, but the RNP library rejects it from being used, causing encryption to fail. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 78.9.1."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Un atacante puede llevar a cabo un ataque DoS para impedir a un usuario de enviar un correo electrónico cifrado a un corresponsal. Si un atacante crea una clave OpenPGP diseñada con una subclave que presenta una autofirma no válida, y el usuario de Thunderbird importa la clave diseñada, entonces Thunderbird puede intentar usar la subclave no válida, pero la biblioteca RNP lo rechaza para ser usado, causando que el cifrado presente un fallo. Esta vulnerabilidad afecta a Thunderbird versiones anteriores a 78.9.1"
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:39:07.497",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:thunderbird:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "717003F7-C1B4-4A52-A10F-13DB37ED1FCE",
              "versionEndExcluding": "78.9.1"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "security@mozilla.org"
}