# CVE-2026-0394: When dovecot has been configured to use per-domain passwd files, and they are placed one path component above /etc, or…

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-0394-when-dovecot-has-been-configured-to-use-per-domain-passwd-files  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-03-27  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-0394 · Severity: medium · CVSS 5.3 · Published 2026-03-27

When dovecot has been configured to use per-domain passwd files, and they are placed one path component above /etc, or slash has been added to allowed characters, path traversal can happen if the domain component is directory partial. This allows inadvertently reading /etc/passwd (or some other path which ends with passwd). If this file contains passwords, it can be used to authenticate wrongly, or if this is userdb, it can unexpectly make system users appear valid users.  Upgrade to fixed version, or use different authentication scheme that does not rely on paths. Alternatively you can also ensure that the per-domain passwd files are in some other location, such as /etc/dovecot/auth/%d. No publicly available exploits are known.

Technologies: [Dovecot](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/dovecot), [Open-Xchange Dovecot](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/open-xchange-dovecot). Vendors: [Dovecot](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/dovecot), [Open-Xchange](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/open-xchange).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-0394 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-0394 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-0394?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 5.3, published 27 March 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Dovecot, Open-Xchange Dovecot. The advisory does not name versions.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-0394?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-0394?** Check whether you run Dovecot or Open-Xchange Dovecot. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Affected products

- Dovecot
- Open-Xchange Dovecot

## Related threats

- [Dovecot ManageSieve denial of service via malformed pre-auth command](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-33605-dovecot-managesieve-denial-of-service-via-malformed-pre-auth)
- [Open-Xchange Dovecot uncontrolled memory consumption in IMAP](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-42006-open-xchange-dovecot-uncontrolled-memory-consumption-in-imap)
- [Open-Xchange Dovecot improper access control in IMAP SETACL](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40020-open-xchange-dovecot-improper-access-control-in-imap-setacl)
- [Open-Xchange Dovecot CPU limit bypass in Sieve scripts](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-40016-open-xchange-dovecot-cpu-limit-bypass-in-sieve-scripts)
- [Open-Xchange Dovecot SCRAM TLS channel binding spoofing](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-33603-open-xchange-dovecot-scram-tls-channel-binding-spoofing)