CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2025-53909 — mailcow: dockerized is an open source groupware/email suite based on docker

Critical CVSS 9.1

mailcow: dockerized is an open source groupware/email suite based on docker. A Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) vulnerability exists in versions prior to 2025-07 in the notification template system used by mailcow for sending quota and quarantine alerts. The template rendering engine allows template expressions that may be abused to execute code in certain contexts. The issue requires admin-level access to mailcow UI to configure templates, which are automatically rendered during normal system operation. Version 2025-07 contains a patch for the issue.

Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.1 (3.1)
Published
2025-07-17
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
software/application
Weaknesses
CWE-1336

Affected products

  • mailcow / mailcow:_dockerized

Matched remediation archetype

Command, code, expression, and template injection

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Check exposure

  • Trace untrusted values to process execution, interpreters, evaluators, template engines, dynamic imports, and administrative scripting features.
  • Determine whether the affected path is reachable across each trust boundary and which service account or host privilege it inherits.
  • Review configuration for optional execution features, unsafe compatibility modes, and shell invocation.

Remediate safely

  • Replace string-built commands or evaluated code with fixed operations and structured argument APIs that do not invoke a shell.
  • Use strict allowlists for operation identifiers and reject unexpected input before it reaches any interpreter.
  • Update the affected component and add inert regression tests covering metacharacters, encoding variants, and alternate request paths.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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