CVE-2024-40761: Apache Answer: Avatar URL leaked user email addresses

Severity: medium (CVSS 5.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.7% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: none known
Published: 2024-09-25 · updated 2026-06-17
Weakness: CWE-326

Description

Inadequate Encryption Strength vulnerability in Apache Answer. This issue affects Apache Answer: through 1.3.5. Using the MD5 value of a user's email to access Gravatar is insecure and can lead to the leakage of user email. The official recommendation is to use SHA256 instead. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 1.4.0, which fixes the issue.

Affected products

Apache Software Foundation Apache Answer: through 1.3.5

References

https://lists.apache.org/thread/mmrhsfy16qwrw0pkv0p9kj40vy3sg08x
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/2
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/5
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/6
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/7
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/8
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/1
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/3
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/4
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/4
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/5
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/8

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