CVE-2001-1099 in Norton Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
The default configuration of Norton AntiVirus for Microsoft Exchange 2000 2.x allows remote attackers to identify the recipient s INBOX file path by sending an email with an attachment containing malicious content, which includes the path in the rejection notice.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-1099 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Norton AntiVirus for Microsoft Exchange 2000 version 2.x software implementation. This security weakness stems from the default configuration of the antivirus solution that fails to properly sanitize error messages generated during email processing. When an email containing malicious content is received by the Exchange server, the antivirus software generates a rejection notice that inadvertently includes the full file path to the recipient's INBOX directory. This behavior exposes sensitive system information that should remain confidential to authorized personnel only.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the improper handling of error conditions within the email scanning process. When Norton AntiVirus encounters potentially malicious content in an email attachment, it processes the message and generates a rejection notification that includes detailed error information. The software's default configuration fails to strip or mask the absolute file path information that is automatically included in these error messages. This path disclosure occurs because the antivirus solution does not implement proper input validation and output sanitization for error reporting mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects the interaction between the antivirus software and the Microsoft Exchange 2000 server, where the error messages are generated and subsequently transmitted back to the sender.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential attack vectors for malicious actors seeking to map the target environment. An attacker can exploit this weakness by simply sending a specially crafted email with a malicious attachment to any valid recipient on the Exchange server. The resulting rejection notice contains the full path to the target user's INBOX file, providing attackers with precise directory structure information that can be used for further exploitation. This information disclosure aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the improper handling of sensitive information in software applications. The vulnerability essentially provides an attacker with a roadmap to the target system's file structure, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as directory traversal or targeted file access attempts.
This vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in security by design principles where the software fails to consider the security implications of error message generation. The issue also relates to ATT&CK technique T1087.001, which covers account discovery through system information gathering. Attackers can leverage this information to understand the target environment's structure and potentially identify other vulnerable systems or files within the same directory hierarchy. The default configuration problem indicates that the software vendor did not properly implement secure coding practices for error handling, specifically failing to separate system-level information from user-facing error messages. Organizations running affected versions of Norton AntiVirus for Exchange 2000 are particularly vulnerable as the flaw exists in the default installation settings, requiring minimal effort for exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in security software, as well as the need for security-conscious default configurations that do not inadvertently expose system information to unauthorized parties.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate configuration changes to disable the inclusion of file paths in error messages, updating to newer versions of Norton AntiVirus that address this specific flaw, and implementing proper network segmentation to limit access to Exchange servers. Security administrators should also review and harden the default configurations of all security software components to ensure that error messages do not contain sensitive system information. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of email rejection events can help detect potential exploitation attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that error handling mechanisms properly sanitize output before transmission. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even security tools can introduce risks when not properly configured, emphasizing the critical importance of secure default settings and proper security hardening procedures.