Vulnerability in Cole Aiosmtplib
CVE-2026-55558
aiosmtplib is an asynchronous SMTP client for use with asyncio. Prior to 5.1.2, SMTPProtocol.start_tls in src/aiosmtplib/protocol.py consumes the server's 220 response and starts the TLS handshake without clearing SMTPProtocol._buffer. An active network attacker can place attacker-chosen SMTP response lines after the plaintext 220 response in the same network segment. The method then calls loop.start_tls; those bytes survive the transport upgrade and are parsed as the first response from inside the TLS session, desynchronizing subsequent SMTP command and response pairs. Connections using start_tls=True or opportunistic STARTTLS are affected, while connections using use_tls=True are not. This issue is fixed in version 5.1.2.
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 5.9 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.
Affected products
- Cole Aiosmtplib — versions < 5.1.2
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_CONFIRM)
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_MISC)
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_MISC)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-55558?
- CVE-2026-55558 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Cole Aiosmtplib, classified under Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component (Injection). CVSS score: 5.9/10. Published 2026-08-20.
- How severe is CVE-2026-55558?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 5.9 out of 10.