CVE-2002-0411 in Aeromail
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in message.php for AeroMail before 1.45 allows remote attackers to execute Javascript as an AeroMail user via an email message with the script in the Subject line.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0411 represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw in the AeroMail web-based email application. This security weakness affects versions prior to 1.45 and specifically targets the message.php script which handles email display functionality. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the application's handling of email subject lines, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject and execute arbitrary javascript code within the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious email message containing javascript code within the subject line field. When a victim accesses their email inbox and views the malicious message, the javascript code executes in the victim's browser within the AeroMail application's security context. This allows the attacker to perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing unauthorized commands on behalf of the victim. The vulnerability specifically leverages the web application's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in the browser environment, making it a prime example of improper input validation and output encoding flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to potentially compromise entire user sessions and access sensitive email communications. Attackers could harvest authentication tokens, read confidential messages, or even modify email content if the application provides write capabilities. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users may have elevated privileges or access to critical business communications. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the attack tree model for web application exploitation and represents a common vector for session hijacking and privilege escalation attacks.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a manifestation of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The weakness demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms throughout the application lifecycle. Mitigation strategies should include immediate application updates to version 1.45 or later, which presumably contains the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input filtering mechanisms, employ output encoding for all dynamic content, and consider implementing content security policies to further reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify similar weaknesses in legacy web applications that may not receive ongoing security updates.