CVE-2026-39971

Serendipity: Host Header Injection leads to SMTP header injection via unvalidated HTTP_HOST

Published Apr 14, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.2 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
Serendipity is a PHP-powered weblog engine. In versions 2.6-beta2 and below, the email sending functionality in include/functions.inc.php inserts $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] directly into the Message-ID SMTP header without validation, and the existing sanitization function serendipity_isResponseClean() is not called on HTTP_HOST before embedding it. An attacker who can control the Host header during an email-triggering action such as comment notifications or subscription emails can inject arbitrary SMTP headers into outgoing emails. This enables identity spoofing, reply hijacking via manipulated Message-ID threading, and email reputation abuse through the attacker's domain being embedded in legitimate mail headers. This issue has been fixed in version 2.6.0.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-458g-q4fh-mj6r Serendipity has a Host Header Injection allows SMTP header injection via unvalidated HTTP_HOST in Message-ID email header
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:s9y:serendipity:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:s9y:serendipity:2.6.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared S9y
S9y serendipity
Vendors & Products S9y
S9y serendipity
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Serendipity is a PHP-powered weblog engine. In versions 2.6-beta2 and below, the email sending functionality in include/functions.inc.php inserts $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] directly into the Message-ID SMTP header without validation, and the existing sanitization function serendipity_isResponseClean() is not called on HTTP_HOST before embedding it. An attacker who can control the Host header during an email-triggering action such as comment notifications or subscription emails can inject arbitrary SMTP headers into outgoing emails. This enables identity spoofing, reply hijacking via manipulated Message-ID threading, and email reputation abuse through the attacker's domain being embedded in legitimate mail headers. This issue has been fixed in version 2.6.0.
Title Serendipity: Host Header Injection leads to SMTP header injection via unvalidated HTTP_HOST
Weaknesses CWE-113
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.2, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
Apr 15, 2026, 4:22 PM
Reserved
Apr 8, 2026, 12:01 AM
Status
Analyzed
Published
Apr 15, 2026, 4:17 AM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 10:10 PM