Thunderbird: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
CVE-2025-26696 is a high-severity authentication bypass by spoofing vulnerability in Thunderbird from Mozilla, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.36% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Thunderbird you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on mozilla.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mozilla | Thunderbird | Not specified in the record | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- LowLimited modification of data is possible.
- Availability
- LowPerformance or availability is reduced.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Certain crafted MIME email messages that claimed to contain an encrypted OpenPGP message, which instead contained an OpenPGP signed message, were wrongly shown as being encrypted. This vulnerability was fixed in Thunderbird 136 and Thunderbird 128.8.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks.
More Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerabilities (CWE-290)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
- bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1864205Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in Thunderbird
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerabilities
- 8.5 High severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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