CVE-2020-12641
CVE-2020-12641 is a security flaw in Roundcube Webmail, webmail software many hosting companies and universities run. Attackers can run their own code on Roundcube Webmail. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 22 Jun 2023.[1]
Roundcube Webmail is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Roundcube has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a webmail remote code execution in Roundcube Roundcube Webmail. In its words: “Roundcube Webmail contains an remote code execution vulnerability that allows attackers to execute code via shell metacharacters in a configuration setting for im_convert_path or im_identify_path.”[1]
The underlying weakness is OS command injection (CWE-78), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Roundcube’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Roundcube Roundcube Webmail.
Most families won’t have Roundcube Webmail; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 22 Jun 2023, 1,144 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 13 Jul 2023 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 84%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Roundcube has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Check whether you use it.Roundcube Webmail is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
- Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed, or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 13 Jul 2023 to fix it.
- If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.
You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 84%.[4] |
See also
Other Roundcube Webmail flaws
- CVE-2021-44026: webmail SQL injection ·
- CVE-2020-35730: webmail cross-site scripting (XSS) ·
- CVE-2017-16651: webmail file disclosure ·
Other Roundcube flaws
- CVE-2025-68461, Roundcube Webmail: cross-site scripting ·
- CVE-2025-49113, Roundcube Webmail: deserialization of untrusted data ·
- CVE-2024-42009, Roundcube Webmail: cross-site scripting ·
- CVE-2024-37383, Roundcube Webmail: cross-site scripting (XSS) ·
- CVE-2020-13965, Roundcube Webmail: cross-site scripting (XSS) ·
Other OS command injection flaws
- CVE-2026-110447, Collabora Online – Built-in CODE Server: online – built-in CODE server OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-106931, EG Secure Solutions SiteGuard Server Edition: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-83549, SonicWall SMA1000 Appliances: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-49869, Kestra OSS: OSS OS command injection ·
- CVE-2026-73570, Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS): OS command injection ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2023-20887, VMware Aria Operations for Networks: command injection ·
- CVE-2021-44026, Roundcube Webmail: webmail SQL injection ·
- CVE-2020-35730, Roundcube Webmail: webmail cross-site scripting (XSS) ·
- CVE-2016-9079, Mozilla Firefox, Firefox ESR, and Thunderbird: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2016-0165, Microsoft Win32k: privilege escalation ·
Every Roundcube flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in June 2023
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Roundcube Webmail Remote Code Execution Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 22 Jun 2023.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2020-12641 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 4 May 2020.
- ^ Roundcube. Advisories and fixes: roundcube.net.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.844, percentile 99.7, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2020-12641”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.