# CVE-2020-15685: Thunderbird: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')

CVE-2020-15685 is fixed in 7 products on 2 platforms, first by thunderbird 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1, released January 25, 2021. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-15685
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 8.8 (Important)
- EPSS: 0.0088
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Published: Dec 30, 2020
- Weakness: CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
- Vendor advisory: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15685

## Description

During the plaintext phase of the STARTTLS connection setup, protocol commands could have been injected and evaluated within the encrypted session. This vulnerability affects Thunderbird < 78.7.

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows apps | Mozilla Thunderbird (en-US) | 78.10.0 | [Mozilla Thunderbird (en-US) 78.10.0](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/windows-app/mozilla.thunderbird-78.10.0.md) | Apr 15, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird Debian 12.15 (bookworm) | 1:78.7.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2020-15685](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2020-15685.md) | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Linux | thunderbird Debian 13.5 (trixie) | 1:78.7.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2020-15685](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2020-15685.md) | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Linux | thunderbird Debian 14 | 1:78.7.0-1 | [DEBIAN-CVE-2020-15685](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/debian-cve-2020-15685.md) | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Linux | thunderbird RHEL 8 | 0:78.7.0-1.el8_3 | [RHSA-2021:0298](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/rhsa-2021-0298.md) | Jan 28, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [thunderbird 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-thunderbird-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [thunderbird 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-thunderbird-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird ol 8 | 0:78.7.0-1.0.1.el8_3 | [ELSA-2021-0298](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/elsa-2021-0298.md) | Jan 29, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird-gnome-support Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [thunderbird-gnome-support 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-thunderbird-gnome-support-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird-gnome-support Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [thunderbird-gnome-support 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-thunderbird-gnome-support-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird-mozsymbols Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [thunderbird-mozsymbols 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-thunderbird-mozsymbols-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | thunderbird-mozsymbols Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [thunderbird-mozsymbols 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-thunderbird-mozsymbols-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-calendar-timezones Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [xul-ext-calendar-timezones 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-xul-ext-calendar-timezones-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-calendar-timezones Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [xul-ext-calendar-timezones 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-xul-ext-calendar-timezones-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-gdata-provider Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [xul-ext-gdata-provider 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-xul-ext-gdata-provider-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-gdata-provider Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [xul-ext-gdata-provider 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-xul-ext-gdata-provider-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-lightning Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (bionic) | 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1 | [xul-ext-lightning 1:78.8.1+build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-bionic-xul-ext-lightning-1-78.8.1-build1-0ubuntu0.18.04.1.md) | Apr 22, 2021 |
| Linux | xul-ext-lightning Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal) | 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 | [xul-ext-lightning 1:78.7.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/linux/ubuntu-focal-xul-ext-lightning-1-78.7.1-build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1.md) | Jan 25, 2021 |

---

Data as of 2026-11-08T00:53:09Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

Free to use with attribution: show "Data: Patchblox Patch Radar" with a link to https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar. Terms, including what needs a written agreement: https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar/use-the-data

Product names, logos and trademarks shown on Patch Radar belong to their respective owners. They are used only to identify the software each security fix applies to and to help readers find their platform. Their use does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement by, those owners, and Patchblox is not affiliated with any of them.