Cyber Resilience

CVE-2020-12641

RCE in Roundcube Webmail 1.2.0 – 1.2.10

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedPublic PoCRCECommand Injection
Published
04 May 2020
Modified
04 November 2025
KEV Added
22 June 2023
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.84 99.7th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2020-12641 is a critical-severity OS Command Injection (CWE-78) vulnerability in Roundcube Webmail. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Command and Scripting Interpreter (T1059); ranked in the top 0.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2020-12641 is a command injection vulnerability (CWE-78) in rcube_image.php within Roundcube Webmail versions prior to 1.4.4. It arises when user-supplied values containing shell metacharacters are passed to the ImageMagick utilities configured via the im_convert_path or im_identify_path settings, enabling arbitrary operating system command execution.

Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit the flaw over the network by manipulating these configuration parameters. Successful exploitation grants full control over the affected webmail instance, including the ability to read, modify, or delete data and execute code with the privileges of the web server process.

The referenced Roundcube 1.4.4 release and associated commit address the issue by sanitizing the path configuration values before they are used in shell commands. OpenSUSE and other distribution advisories recommend upgrading to the patched version as the primary mitigation.

A public proof-of-concept demonstrating the injection vector is available in the referenced GitHub disclosure repository.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 Injection

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

rcube_image.php in Roundcube Webmail before 1.4.4 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via shell metacharacters in a configuration setting for im_convert_path or im_identify_path.

CWE(s)
CWE-78
KEV Date Added
22 June 2023

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Execution
Adversaries may abuse command and script interpreters to execute commands, scripts, or binaries.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.003 Windows Command Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse the Windows command shell for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.004 Unix Shell Execution
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1059.001 PowerShell Execution
Adversaries may abuse PowerShell commands and scripts for execution.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-45519Same product class: email / collaborationboth on KEV
CVE-2025-68461Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2024-42009Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2026-35538Same product: Roundcube Webmail
CVE-2025-49113Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2020-16846Same product: Opensuse Leapboth on KEV
CVE-2024-37383Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2023-43770Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2017-16651Same product: Roundcube Webmailboth on KEV
CVE-2025-43920Same product class: email / collaboration

Affected Assets

roundcube
webmail
1.2.0 — 1.2.10 · 1.3.0 — 1.3.11 · 1.4.0 — 1.4.4
opensuse
backports sle
15.0
opensuse
leap
15.1, 15.2

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.2.5
  • V1.2.8
  • V15.2.5

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

SC-27 Platform-independent Applications
addresses: CWE-78

Platform-independent apps typically execute inside a managed runtime or sandbox that restricts direct OS command execution, reducing the ability to exploit OS command injection.

SI-10 Information Input Validation
addresses: CWE-78

Validates inputs to block special elements that would alter OS command execution.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

PR.PS-06's SDLC practices directly require secure coding and input handling that blocks command-injection defects, yet the single broad outcome leaves many specific neutralization vectors and verification gaps unaddressed.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Routine patching/maintenance can remediate known command-injection CVEs in dependencies (partial forward) but does nothing to stop developers from introducing improper neutralization in custom code (none reverse).

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing and code review target insecure use of operating-system command interfaces, catching command-injection flaws introduced during development.

References