CVE-2001-0585 in NTMail
Summary
by MITRE
Gordano NTMail 6.0.3c allows a remote attacker to create a denial of service via a long (>= 255 characters) URL request to port 8000 or port 9000.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0585 affects Gordano NTMail 6.0.3c, a mail server software solution that was widely used in enterprise environments during the early 2000s. This particular flaw represents a classic buffer overflow condition that manifests when the system processes malformed URL requests directed at specific ports. The vulnerability exists within the application's handling of HTTP requests, specifically when processing URLs that exceed 255 characters in length, making it particularly dangerous for systems that receive external web traffic.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the HTTP processing module of the Gordano NTMail server. When a remote attacker sends a malformed HTTP request containing a URL exceeding 255 characters to either port 8000 or port 9000, the system fails to properly validate or truncate the input before processing it. This lack of proper bounds checking creates an exploitable condition where the application's memory management routines become corrupted, leading to a complete system crash or service interruption. The vulnerability specifically targets the HTTP server component that listens on these well-known ports, making it easily accessible to remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can effectively render critical email infrastructure unavailable to legitimate users. Organizations relying on Gordano NTMail for their email services would experience complete denial of service for their mail server functionality, potentially disrupting business communications and requiring immediate system intervention. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal effort from attackers, as they only need to send a single malformed HTTP request to trigger the condition. This makes the vulnerability suitable for both accidental and intentional exploitation, with potential for widespread disruption across multiple systems if not properly addressed.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a fundamental flaw in input validation practices that were common in software applications of that era. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the T1499.004 technique for network denial of service, where adversaries leverage application-level flaws to disrupt services. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to ports 8000 and 9000, deployment of intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious HTTP requests, and application-level firewalls to filter malformed URL content. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the critical importance of regular security updates and proper input validation mechanisms, as the issue could have been prevented through proper software design practices and timely patch management. The affected software should be upgraded to versions that address this specific buffer overflow condition, as the original version contained no built-in protections against such malformed input scenarios.