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.
History

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

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


Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared S9y
S9y serendipity
Vendors & Products S9y
S9y serendipity

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

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'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published: 2026-04-14T23:35:49.305Z

Updated: 2026-04-15T16:22:04.004Z

Reserved: 2026-04-08T00:01:47.627Z

Link: CVE-2026-39971

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-04-15T16:20:59.391Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-04-15T04:17:39.763

Modified: 2026-04-17T15:38:09.243

Link: CVE-2026-39971

cve-icon Redhat

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