CVE-2001-0857 in Horde
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in status.php3 in Imp Webmail 2.2.6 and earlier allows remote attackers to gain access to the e-mail of other users by hijacking session cookies via the message parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-0857 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Imp Webmail 2.2.6 and earlier versions, specifically affecting the status.php3 script. This vulnerability operates under the common weakness enumeration CWE-79 which classifies it as a weakness related to insufficient neutralization of input during web page generation. The flaw arises from improper sanitization of user-supplied input parameters, particularly the message parameter that is processed by the status.php3 script. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input that gets reflected back to other users within the web application's response, creating a persistent cross-site scripting vector that can be leveraged for session hijacking and unauthorized access to email accounts.
The technical execution of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the message parameter through HTTP requests that are processed by the vulnerable Imp Webmail application. When the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the input from this parameter before incorporating it into the web page response, malicious JavaScript code can be injected and executed within the context of other users' browsers. This injection occurs because the application directly incorporates user input into dynamic web content without adequate encoding or filtering mechanisms. The session cookie hijacking aspect of this vulnerability stems from the fact that when malicious scripts execute within a user's browser context, they can access and transmit session cookies to attacker-controlled servers, effectively allowing unauthorized access to legitimate user email accounts.
The operational impact of CVE-2001-0857 extends beyond simple data theft, as it fundamentally compromises the authentication and authorization mechanisms of the webmail application. Attackers can not only read email messages but also perform actions such as sending emails, deleting messages, and potentially accessing sensitive information that would normally be restricted to authenticated users. This vulnerability particularly affects webmail systems where session management relies heavily on cookie-based authentication, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access to user mailboxes. The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with the attack technique described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the category of credential access, specifically targeting session management flaws that can lead to unauthorized access to user accounts. The widespread nature of webmail applications makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as a single compromised session can provide access to multiple email accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-0857 must address both the immediate input validation issues and the broader session management weaknesses that enable the exploitation. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from being executed within the web application context. The recommended approach includes implementing proper parameter validation that rejects or escapes potentially dangerous characters, particularly those used in scripting contexts such as angle brackets, quotes, and script tags. Additionally, web applications should employ secure session management practices including the use of secure and HttpOnly flags on session cookies, implementing proper session regeneration after authentication, and utilizing additional authentication factors to protect against session hijacking. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of keeping web applications updated with the latest security patches, as the specific flaw in Imp Webmail 2.2.6 and earlier versions was addressed in subsequent releases through improved input validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies as additional defensive measures to prevent the execution of malicious scripts within the application context.