Improper validation of certificate with host mismatch in Apache Log4j SMTP appender
Improper validation of certificate with host mismatch in Apache Log4j SMTP appender prior to version 2.13.2. This could allow an SMTPS connection to be intercepted by a man-in-the-middle attack which could leak any log messages sent through that appender.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j | >= 2.13.0, < 2.13.2, >= 2.4.0, < 2.12.3, < 2.3.2 | 2.13.2, 2.12.3, 2.3.2 |
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core | >= 2.13.0, < 2.13.2, >= 2.4.0, < 2.12.3, < 2.3.2 | 2.13.2, 2.12.3, 2.3.2 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-9488
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd55f65c6822ff235eda435d31488cfbb9aa7055cdf47481ebee777cc%40%3Cissues.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd0e44e8ef71eeaaa3cf3d1b8b41eb25894372e2995ec908ce7624d26@%3Ccommits.pulsar.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rd0e44e8ef71eeaaa3cf3d1b8b41eb25894372e2995ec908ce7624d26%40%3Ccommits.pulsar.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc6b81c013618d1de1b5d6b8c1088aaf87b4bacc10c2371f15a566701@%3Cnotifications.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc6b81c013618d1de1b5d6b8c1088aaf87b4bacc10c2371f15a566701%40%3Cnotifications.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc2dbc4633a6eea1fcbce6831876cfa17b73759a98c65326d1896cb1a@%3Ctorque-dev.db.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rc2dbc4633a6eea1fcbce6831876cfa17b73759a98c65326d1896cb1a%40%3Ctorque-dev.db.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbc7642b9800249553f13457e46b813bea1aec99d2bc9106510e00ff3@%3Ctorque-dev.db.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbc7642b9800249553f13457e46b813bea1aec99d2bc9106510e00ff3%40%3Ctorque-dev.db.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbc45eb0f53fd6242af3e666c2189464f848a851d408289840cecc6e3@%3Ccommits.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbc45eb0f53fd6242af3e666c2189464f848a851d408289840cecc6e3%40%3Ccommits.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra632b329b2ae2324fabbad5da204c4ec2e171ff60348ec4ba698fd40@%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra632b329b2ae2324fabbad5da204c4ec2e171ff60348ec4ba698fd40%40%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra051e07a0eea4943fa104247e69596f094951f51512d42c924e86c75@%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra051e07a0eea4943fa104247e69596f094951f51512d42c924e86c75%40%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9a79175c393d14d760a0ae3731b4a873230a16ef321aa9ca48a810cd@%3Cissues.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9a79175c393d14d760a0ae3731b4a873230a16ef321aa9ca48a810cd%40%3Cissues.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9776e71e3c67c5d13a91c1eba0dc025b48b802eb7561cc6956d6961c@%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9776e71e3c67c5d13a91c1eba0dc025b48b802eb7561cc6956d6961c%40%3Cissues.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8e96c340004b7898cad3204ea51280ef6e4b553a684e1452bf1b18b1@%3Cjira.kafka.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8e96c340004b7898cad3204ea51280ef6e4b553a684e1452bf1b18b1%40%3Cjira.kafka.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r8c001b9a95c0bbec06f4457721edd94935a55932e64b82cc5582b846@%3Cissues.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2021.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html
- https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-5020
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200504-0003
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/12/msg00017.html
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf9fa47ab66495c78bb4120b0754dd9531ca2ff0430f6685ac9b07772@%3Cdev.mina.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf9fa47ab66495c78bb4120b0754dd9531ca2ff0430f6685ac9b07772%40%3Cdev.mina.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf1c2a81a08034c688b8f15cf58a4cfab322d00002ca46d20133bee20@%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf1c2a81a08034c688b8f15cf58a4cfab322d00002ca46d20133bee20%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec34b1cccf907898e7cb36051ffac3ccf1ea89d0b261a2a3b3fb267f@%3Ccommits.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rec34b1cccf907898e7cb36051ffac3ccf1ea89d0b261a2a3b3fb267f%40%3Ccommits.zookeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/re024d86dffa72ad800f2848d0c77ed93f0b78ee808350b477a6ed987@%3Cgitbox.hive.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/re024d86dffa72ad800f2848d0c77ed93f0b78ee808350b477a6ed987%40%3Cgitbox.hive.apache.org%3E
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-295- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j, org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-core- Disclosed
- 05.06.2020
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-vwqq-5vrc-xw9h - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Java / Kotlin (Maven)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 2
- First → latest
- 01.2020 06.2020
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 1
- Low 1
Disclosures per year
- 2020: 2
- 2021: 0
- 2022: 0
- 2023: 0
- 2024: 0
- 2025: 0
- 2026: 0
-
Improper validation of certificate with host mismatch in Apache Log4j SMTP appender this entry
Know which vulnerabilities affect your application
With the DockRay integration and software inventory enabled, DockRay checks reported component versions against known vulnerabilities and notifies you about confirmed matches. Coverage depends on the supported technology and available advisory data.