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UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538
Vulnerability in thunderbird (UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538)
Summary
vulnerability in thunderbird (UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. Mitigation: upgrade to `1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1` or later.
AI summary snake-internal / snake-material-v2
A vulnerability tracked as **UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538** has been found in thunderbird.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: ?/10.
What to do: upgrade thunderbird to **1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1** or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "thunderbird UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538" on the vendor's site.
UBUNTU-CVE-2021-44538 (thunderbird) —
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Patched: `1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1` — apply immediately
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
❓ What is the problem
**A vulnerability** (unclassified) exists in thunderbird.
📍 Affected scope
thunderbird — .
🔥 Severity
Severity: ?. Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover
🔧 How to fix
Update to **1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1**.
🛡️ Workaround
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
🔍 Detection
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run `grep -r 'thunderbird' .` against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response Actions (7 steps)
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'thunderbird' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で `thunderbird` を grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。
-
6Apply patch patch
Upgrade thunderbird to 1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1ステージング環境で 1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスと、Step 3 で見つけた異常検知の続報チェックを含めること。
-
7Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番では Step 3 と同じログクエリでアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
thunderbird
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1"}]}]
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
thunderbird
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1"}]}]
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
node-matrix-js-sdk
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
node-matrix-js-sdk
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:22.04:LTS
thunderbird
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"1:91.5.0+build1-0ubuntu1"}]}]
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS
node-matrix-js-sdk
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:24.04:LTS
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:25.10
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
Ubuntu:26.04:LTS
olm
[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"}]}]
References
- advisory https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-5246-1
- advisory https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-5248-1
- report https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2021-44538
- report https://matrix.org/blog/2021/12/13/disclosure-buffer-overflow-in-libolm-and-matrix-js-sdk/
- report https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2021-55/#CVE-2021-44538
- report https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-44538