CVE-2021-40111: James server Infinite Loop Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-fqgw-6qj5-8hmp
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CWE-835
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-40111 is a MODERATE infinite loop vulnerability (CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')) affecting James server libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves infinite loop in apache james. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.6.1.

CVE-2021-40111 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-40111
GHSA Identifier GHSA-fqgw-6qj5-8hmp
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')
Affected Product James server
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2021-40111

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected James server dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.james:james-server fixed: 3.6.1 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.james</groupId>
    <artifactId>james-server</artifactId>
    <version>3.6.1</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-40111, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of James server in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.6.1), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop'), where the product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop. In James server, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

In Apache James, while fuzzing with Jazzer the IMAP parsing stack, we discover that crafted APPEND and STATUS IMAP command could be used to trigger infinite loops resulting in expensive CPU computations and OutOfMemory exceptions. This can be used for a Denial Of Service attack. The IMAP user needs to be authenticated to exploit this vulnerability. This affected Apache James prior to version 3.6.1. This vulnerability had been patched in Apache James 3.6.1 and higher. We recommend the upgrade.

CVE-2021-40111 Affected James server Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.6.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.james:james-server
maven/org.apache.james/james-server
Maven
< 3.6.1
3.6.1

References

NVD — CVE-2021-40111 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40111
James server Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/01/04/3
James server Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/01/04/3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-40111?
CVE-2021-40111 is a security vulnerability in James server involving Infinite Loop in Apache James under CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop').
Which James server versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.6.1 across affected packages: org.apache.james:james-server.
What version fixes CVE-2021-40111?
Upgrading to 3.6.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is james-server affected?
Yes, org.apache.james:james-server is affected in releases prior to 3.6.1. Upgrade your dependency to 3.6.1 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-40111?
CVE-2021-40111 is classified under CWE-835: Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop') (The product contains an iteration or loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached, i.e., an infinite loop.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-40111?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-fqgw-6qj5-8hmp",
  "modified" : "2022-01-07T18:33:44Z",
  "published" : "2022-01-08T00:40:37Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-40111" ],
  "summary" : "Infinite Loop in Apache James",
  "details" : "In Apache James, while fuzzing with Jazzer the IMAP parsing stack, we discover that crafted APPEND and STATUS IMAP command could be used to trigger infinite loops resulting in expensive CPU computations and OutOfMemory exceptions. This can be used for a Denial Of Service attack. The IMAP user needs to be authenticated to exploit this vulnerability. This affected Apache James prior to version 3.6.1. This vulnerability had been patched in Apache James 3.6.1 and higher. We recommend the upgrade.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.james:james-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.6.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-40111"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/01/04/3"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/01/04/3"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-835" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-01-07T18:33:44Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-01-04T09:15:00Z"
  }
}